South Korea Studies Granting the Green Light for High-Resolution Maps by Google and Apple

SadaNews - South Korea is nearing a critical decision regarding allowing Google and Apple to export high-resolution digital map data to servers outside the country, a move that could significantly transform global map accuracy, but at the same time sparks widespread controversy over national security and data sovereignty.

The two American companies are seeking approval to use maps with a precision of up to 1:5000 scale, which provides detailed street, building, and alley information that far exceeds what is currently available in their applications within South Korea.

This step faces regulatory and security obstacles, as South Korean lawmakers fear that detailed maps, when integrated with satellite images, may reveal sensitive military locations, according to a report published by TechCrunch and reviewed by Al Arabiya Business.

Members of the Defense Committee in Parliament have called for the necessity of granting the government the authority to monitor and restrict the export of this data, especially amid the ongoing state of technological war between the two Koreas.

A government official stated that the final decision regarding Google Maps is expected to be issued in November, after the Ministry of Land and Infrastructure extended the review period for the application by an additional 60 days.

Google submitted its third request in February for permission to transfer high-resolution map data outside the country.

Authorities had previously rejected similar requests in 2011 and 2016, conditioning the company to establish a local data center and to censor sensitive locations, which Google refused at the time.

It seems the company has changed its strategy, as reports indicate that it has finally agreed to obscure security and military sites in its maps and is even exploring the purchase of locally-certified map data from the government, such as that provided by SK Telecom's T Map platform.

Apple resubmitted its request in June to export high-resolution map data, after its initial request was denied in 2023.

Apple is distinguished by maintaining local servers within Korea, making the government more capable of monitoring sensitive data, while Google stores its data on external servers.

The government is expected to announce its decision regarding Apple's request in December, with indications that the company is showing greater flexibility in adhering to government restrictions, including censoring or downscaling the accuracy of sensitive areas.

Analysts believe that updating Google and Apple's maps to this level of precision could open the door to new applications in areas such as autonomous vehicles, drones, and smart tourism, but at the same time grants the two American companies a competitive advantage at the expense of local applications such as Naver Map and Kakao Map.