Google has entered final-stage talks with the South Korean government over exporting high-precision map data out of the country. The remaining sticking point is whether the company can put in place a post-export control system capable of effectively managing security measures and data use in line with domestic standards even after the maps leave Korea, according to people familiar with the matter.
Google has held several rounds of working-level consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on the export of high-precision maps, according to information technology industry sources on the 12th. The meetings were held to review specific plans for meeting conditions the government had set as prerequisites for exporting maps at a scale of 1:5,000, including the handling of security facilities. "We understand Google has largely completed its preparations to meet the export conditions," an official in the geospatial information industry said. "The company appears set to submit a formal response to the ministry soon, and the related services could launch as early as this year."
The government's focus is on whether controls will remain effective after the data is exported. Domestic map operators are subject to security measures under relevant laws and government guidelines for sensitive information such as military and security facilities. Google, by contrast, relies on overseas servers, raising the question of whether it can continuously comply with the same level of security and management standards once the map data has been sent abroad.
Concerns have also been raised that combining high-precision map data with Google's existing services, such as satellite and aerial imagery or Street View, could reveal more detailed information about sensitive facilities. Critics say the government must establish a system that allows it to continuously monitor such information and demand corrective action when necessary, even after approving the export.
The possibility of security information being exposed through foreign private map services was also raised at a parliamentary audit of the ministry on the 7th. Minister Hong Ji-sun responded that there are limits to what the ministry can do on its own and said it would coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service in responding to the issue.
Some in the industry argue the debate should not be confined to security. High-precision maps serve as foundational data not only for mapping and platform services but also for mobility, autonomous driving and smart cities, meaning the decision could significantly affect the competitive landscape of the domestic market. In particular, applying different standards to a foreign operator while domestic companies face various regulations on the handling of security facilities and data management could spark complaints of reverse discrimination.
"High-precision map data is core national data that can be used across a range of industries," one industry official said. "If foreign companies do not comply with the same security and management standards as domestic companies, it will be difficult to create a level playing field."
Industry watchers say comprehensive criteria are needed, covering not only whether to allow the export but also how to ensure fairness with domestic operators.
Ahn Jong-wook, a professor of smart city engineering at Anyang University, said what matters is the cooperation and support framework Google will put in place, taking into account both the positive and negative effects the map export could have on domestic industry. "The government should not simply check whether security conditions have been met," he said. "It needs to look at the practical management system after the export and at how the arrangement can create mutual growth with domestic industry."
A ministry official said no documents have been formally submitted by Google, so the ministry is not yet at a stage where it can assess compliance with the conditions or offer a view.