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CNA
08-08-2025
- Business
- CNA
South Korea delays decision on Google's request for map data exports
SEOUL: South Korea delayed a decision on Friday (Aug 8) on a request from Google for permission to export map data, following United States pressure to address what Washington regards as a non-tariff barrier during recent trade talks, its transport ministry said. South Korea and the US are preparing for a summit of their leaders, possibly this month, after reaching a trade deal in late July, but it was not clear whether the map issue would be discussed at the meeting. South Korea previously rejected requests from Google, whose parent is Alphabet, for permission to use map data on servers outside the country in 2016 and 2007, citing security concerns. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement its National Geographic Information Institute had decided to postpone the decision for 60 days to give Google time to come up with measures that address its security concerns. Google has said there were no security concerns about its mapping data on South Korea, saying the data is publicly available and used by a number of companies, after going through a security review by a government agency. The company said, however, it is closely discussing with the South Korean government about taking any other security measures requested by the authorities, while considering plans to purchase blurred images from local partners which have been approved by the government. South Korea, whose 1950 to 1953 war with North Korea ended without a peace treaty, argues that if it allowed such data to leave the country, the locations of military facilities and other sensitive sites could be revealed. But the US said restrictions on cross-border data flows have long served as barriers to operating navigation services through Google Maps and Apple Maps, resulting in US companies losing out in the South Korean market. South Korea had not made concessions on the map issue and also on further opening up agriculture, despite early and intense bilateral talks, presidential adviser Kim Yong-beom had said. Google said the lack of data restricts its Google Maps services in Korea, causing major inconveniences to foreign tourists.
South China Morning Post
10-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Calls grow in South Korea to tighten rules on Chinese-led property shopping
As the share of land and housing purchases by foreigners continues to grow in South Korea , debate is resurfacing over whether regulations should be tightened, especially amid concerns of market disruption and discrimination against locals. Advertisement While some government officials are pushing for legal reforms based on the principle of reciprocity, others caution that any regulatory move must follow a thorough assessment of market impact. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Monday, the Seoul metropolitan government recently sent an official request to the ministry urging it to formalise reciprocity provisions in real estate-related laws such as the Real Estate Transaction Reporting Act. This followed an order from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to promptly propose countermeasures regarding foreign land and housing purchases. Reciprocity, in this context, refers to the idea that if a country restricts or prohibits real estate purchases by Korean citizens, then South Korea should impose similar restrictions on citizens from that country. Currently, no real estate law in South Korea includes such a principle. Foreign ownership of Korean real estate has been steadily increasing. As of the end of last year, foreigners owned around 268 million square metres (2.8 billion square feet) of land in South Korea – a 1.2 per cent increase from the previous year. The number of housing units owned by foreigners also rose 5.4 per cent to 100,216 units as of the end of June 2023. Advertisement According to the Supreme Court's real estate registration data, 8,655 foreign landlords registered lease contracts between January and May this year, indicating active investment. Calls for tighter rules have intensified due to the limited oversight on foreign transactions, even as foreign purchase rates climb. In particular, China bans or heavily restricts real estate ownership by Koreans within its borders, prompting critics to argue that a reciprocal system is necessary.
South China Morning Post
30-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Japan's cruise tourism charges full steam ahead, shaking off pandemic blues
When the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Japan's cruise industry ground to a halt, its future clouded by fear and uncertainty. Advertisement Today, that industry is roaring back. Demand for maritime journeys with swimming pools among a host of luxury amenities and entertainment has surged due to pent-up wanderlust and a wave of new investments. Japanese ports are seeing record domestic passenger numbers, signalling not just a revival in leisure travel, but a broader boost to local economies that rely on tourism. Japan , an archipelago of over 14,000 islands and one of the largest economies in the world, has a relatively small cruise industry and modest vessels compared to the US, home of giants like Carnival Cruise Line. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, the Japanese cruise market grew significantly in 2024, increasing by 14.2 per cent year on year to 224,100 passengers. Advertisement The number of international visitors entering Japan by cruise ship quadrupled to 1.4 million, nearly 60 per cent of the record set in 2017.
