Latest news with #NationalGeographicInformationInstitute
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea again postpones decision on Google's map data transfer request amid US pressure
The South Korean government on Friday delayed its decision on Google's request to export high-precision map data overseas, the transport ministry said, amid pressure from Washington to resolve the issue, calling it a non-tariff barrier. In February, the US tech giant submitted an application to the state-run National Geographic Information Institute under the ministry, seeking approval for the transfer of 1:5,000-scale high-precision map data to its data centers abroad. The review panel extended the deadline for the decision by 60 days during its May meeting, citing the need for further discussions on national security and the potential impact on domestic industries, and was supposed to reach a decision by Monday. But it decided to extend the deadline by another 60 days, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The review panel is composed of officials from major ministries, including the defense, foreign affairs, industry and science ministries, as well as the National Intelligence Service. Officials said the latest decision was made upon Google's request, as the company sought more time to review ways to address national security concerns related to the data exports. But the Seoul government seems to be cautious on the matter, as reaching a conclusion ahead of possible discussions on the matter at a future South Korea–U.S. summit could be sensitive and influence other agenda items to be discussed during the summit. Consultations are under way between Seoul and Washington to set a date for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. Some reports have said that the summit will likely take place around Aug. 25. Currently, Google provides South Korean maps using publicly available lower-resolution 1:25,000-scale map data combined with aerial and satellite imagery. The United States has cited the issue as a key non-tariff barrier, though it was excluded from the recent tariff agreement between the two nations under which the U.S. imposes a 15 percent tariff on South Korean imports in exchange for South Korea's pledge to invest US$350 billion in the U.S. It was not known if the data transfer issue will be on the table at the upcoming summit. Google previously made similar requests for the transfer of high-precision map data overseas in 2007 and 2016, but Seoul rejected them due to national security concerns, citing the potential exposure of military bases and other sensitive facilities. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Korea weighs Google's high-precision map request as deadline nears
The South Korean government is set to determine Friday afternoon whether to approve or once again delay Google's request to export high-precision digital maps of the country. A government inter-agency council — led by the National Geographic Information Institute under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport — will meet to deliberate the US tech giant's request to export a 1:5,000 scale digital map of Korea. The panel comprises eight agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science and ICT. The council was initially expected to rule in May but deferred the decision deadline to Aug. 11 for further review of national security and industrial implications. Industry sources now suggest the outcome may again be postponed, possibly until after the Korea–US summit. 'There is a possibility the deadline will be extended once more, after consolidating views among ministries,' said a government official who requested anonymity. 'Announcing a decision before the summit could risk turning it into a diplomatic issue.' Currently, Google Maps displays Korea at a less detailed 1:25,000 scale. The requested 1:5,000 scale version qualifies as a high-precision dataset capable of showing structures, roads and terrain with a granularity of 1 centimeter per 50 meters — far more detail than is currently available. The US tech giant submitted similar requests in 2007 and 2016, both of which were denied by the Korean government due to national security concerns. The government has maintained a conditional stance, indicating that export of such data may be permitted if strict security conditions are met — including the blurring of sensitive facilities, removal of coordinate metadata and local server hosting. Google maintains that the requested maps are not military-grade but rather 'basic national maps' that pose minimal risk. In a blog post earlier this week, the company said, 'The 1:5,000 scale maps are considered 'low detail' and do not qualify as high-precision maps by academic or industrial standards.' In response, the Korean government has pushed back, warning that even basic maps, when combined with real-time location data, could expose sensitive information. Land Minister Kim Yoon-deok reiterated in his July confirmation hearing that 'while diplomatic and commercial interests matter, national defense and public safety must take precedence.' Domestic platform companies have also expressed concern. Many argue that the current 1:25,000 scale is sufficient for general navigation services and that Google's push for higher precision is unwarranted. 'According to the Land Ministry, the 1:5,000 digital topographic map is classified as a high-precision map,' said an industry source who requested anonymity. 'Google's claim that it's low-detail does not align with reality.'
The Star
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore
SEOUL: It's 2025, and if you try to get walking directions in Seoul using Google Maps, you will still run into the same dead end: the "Can't find a way there" screen. For many tourists, it's both frustrating and baffling. Google Maps offers turn-by-turn walking directions in cities as far-flung as Pyongyang, the capital of the hermit kingdom of North Korea — yet, in Seoul, one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world, it can't guide you from your hotel to the nearest subway station? For almost two decades, the issue has been blamed on national security. South Korea has strict laws that block the export of high-precision map data, supposedly to prevent misuse by hostile actors. But in 2025, that argument is wearing thin, and a more fundamental tension is coming into focus: Should Google be allowed to freely commercialise taxpayer-funded public data without meeting the standards that domestic companies must follow? Google says it needs Korea's best map. But that's only half the story. The map at the centre of this issue is a government-built, high-resolution 1:5000 digital base map maintained by the National Geographic Information Institute. It's publicly funded, annually updated, and rich with layers like sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and road boundaries. Any Korean citizen or entity can access and use it for free. Google claims that without exporting this data to its global servers, it cannot fully enable core features like walking, biking or driving navigation. The global map giant, which relies on processing map data through its global infrastructure, has repeatedly asked the Korean government for permission to export the NGII base map. Its latest request, filed in February this year, is the third since the issue first surfaced in 2007 and again in 2016. A final decision from the government is expected this August. But experts say Google's "we can't do it without the map' argument is overstated. 'Yes, the 1:5,000 map would help, especially for pinpointing pedestrian pathways,' said Choi Jin-moo, a geographic information science professor at Kyung Hee University. 'But Google could build the necessary layers on its own, using its vast trove of satellite imagery and AI processing, just like it does in countries that don't share any base map data at all.' The evidence is all around. OpenStreetMap, a crowdsourced platform, offers walking navigation in South Korea. So does Apple Maps, despite not having access to NGII's dataset or exporting any official Korean geospatial data. Google already provides walking directions in places like Pyongyang, where mapping data is sparse, and in countries like Israel and China, which impose strict restrictions on geospatial exports. 'If Google can make it work in North Korea,' Choi said, 'then clearly the map is not the only barrier.' To be fair, this doesn't mean Apple Maps' walking routes in South Korea are actually any good. For example, it doesn't show crosswalks, stairs or underpasses. Naver Map and Kakao Map do, because it has access to the ready-made detailed data. But even then, what professor Choi posits is that, what Google gains by accessing the NGII map might not be feasibility, but convenience. "Rather than spending time and money building its own map layers, it would get a ready-made foundation that is free, publicly funded, and immediately monetizable through ads and API licensing," Choi added. Google Maps offers full walking (left) and driving (right) directions in Pyongyang, North Korea — features that remain unavailable in South Korea. - Screenshots from Google Maps S. Korea's national security argument is crumbling South Korea's longstanding concern is that exporting detailed mapping data could expose key infrastructure to hostile threats, particularly from North Korea. But experts argue that in 2025, this reasoning no longer holds up to scrutiny. 'You can already buy sub-meter commercial satellite imagery of South Korea from private providers,' said Choi Ki-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University. In its latest proposal, Google offered to blur sensitive sites if the government supplies coordinates. But even that sparked legal concerns. Under Korea's military laws, simply compiling a list of protected locations could be a violation. The real issue, Choi believes, is the symbolic discomfort of ceding data sovereignty to a global tech platform. 'There's a psychological reluctance to let any part of our national digital infrastructure sit on foreign servers,' he said. 'But we need to be honest about the threat level." 'This is primarily about control, not national security or technical capability,' said professor Yoo Ki-yoon, a smart city infrastructure expert at Seoul National University. 'Google wants to integrate Korea into its global system on its terms, without storing data locally, without paying Korean taxes at the level domestic firms do, and without meaningful oversight.' Who really stands to gain or lose? The economic stakes are just as complex as the technical ones. South Korea's location-based services market is worth over 11 trillion won ($7.6 billion) according to 2023 Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport data, with over 99 percent of companies in the space being small or mid-sized. These firms rely on the same public mapping data Google wants, but they do so under heavy conditions. They must store the data domestically, pay full local taxes, and invest in additional surveying and development. Giving Google free access, critics warn, could reshape the market in its favor. Developers might rush to build on Google's API, only to find themselves locked into a system where prices spike later, just as they did in 2018 when Google restructured its Maps API pricing globally. 'There's a risk of long-term dependency,' said Ryo Seol-ri, a researcher at the Korea Tourism Organization. 'Right now, Korean platforms like Naver and Kakao have limitations, but at least they're governed by Korean rules. If Google becomes the dominant layer, we lose that control.' Still, Ryo admits the issue is far from urgent for most stakeholders. 'From a tourism perspective, this isn't what drives people to or from Korea. Visitors are definitely inconvenienced, but they expect to be. It's baked into the experience now.' That may be the most important reason the situation hasn't changed, and likely won't any time soon. There's no single player with the incentive to fix it. The Korean government doesn't want to set a precedent by giving up control of its mapping infrastructure. Google doesn't want to build from scratch if it can pressure its way into a shortcut. And while tourists may grumble, broken Google Maps hasn't kept them from coming. Tourism professor Kim Nam-jo of Hanyang University said, 'Improving map usability would make Korea more tourist-friendly, sure, but it won't suddenly boost visitor numbers. That's why no one sees it as urgent enough to fix.' - The Korea Herald/ANN
Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Straits Times
Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore
The global map giant has repeatedly asked the Korean government for permission to export the NGII base map. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore It's 2025, and if you try to get walking directions in Seoul using Google Maps, you will still run into the same dead end: the 'Can't find a way there' screen. For many tourists, it's both frustrating and baffling. Google Maps offers turn-by-turn walking directions in cities as far-flung as Pyongyang, the capital of the hermit kingdom of North Korea — yet, in Seoul, one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world, it can't guide you from your hotel to the nearest subway station? For almost two decades, the issue has been blamed on national security. South Korea has strict laws that block the export of high-precision map data, supposedly to prevent misuse by hostile actors. But in 2025, that argument is wearing thin, and a more fundamental tension is coming into focus: Should Google be allowed to freely commercialize taxpayer-funded public data without meeting the standards that domestic companies must follow? Google says it needs Korea's best map. But that's only half the story. The map at the center of this issue is a government-built, high-resolution 1:5000 digital base map maintained by the National Geographic Information Institute. It's publicly funded, annually updated, and rich with layers like sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and road boundaries. Any Korean citizen or entity can access and use it for free. Google Maps in South Korea does not provide walking directions (left), and while it offers public transit routes with real-time updates, the walking segments are shown only as vague dotted lines (right). PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS Google claims that without exporting this data to its global servers, it cannot fully enable core features like walking, biking or driving navigation. The global map giant, which relies on processing map data through its global infrastructure, has repeatedly asked the Korean government for permission to export the NGII base map. Its latest request, filed in February this year, is the third since the issue first surfaced in 2007 and again in 2016. A final decision from the government is expected this August. Screenshots from South Korea's National Geographic Information Institute show the publicly available 1:25,000-scale map (left) and the more detailed 1:5,000-scale map (right). PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION INSTITUTE But experts say Google's 'we can't do it without the map' argument is overstated. 'Yes, the 1:5,000 map would help, especially for pinpointing pedestrian pathways,' said Choi Jin-moo, a geographic information science professor at Kyung Hee University. 'But Google could build the necessary layers on its own, using its vast trove of satellite imagery and AI processing, just like it does in countries that don't share any base map data at all.' The evidence is all around. OpenStreetMap, a crowdsourced platform, offers walking navigation in South Korea. So does Apple Maps, despite not having access to NGII's dataset or exporting any official Korean geospatial data. Google already provides walking directions in places like Pyongyang, where mapping data is sparse, and in countries like Israel and China, which impose strict restrictions on geospatial exports. 'If Google can make it work in North Korea,' Choi said, 'then clearly the map is not the only barrier.' Google Maps offers full walking (left) and driving (right) directions in Pyongyang, North Korea. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS In other words, what Google gains by accessing the NGII map might not be feasibility, but convenience. 'Rather than spending time and money building its own map layer, it would get a ready-made foundation that is free, publicly funded, and immediately monetizable through ads and API licensing,' Choi added. South Korea's national security argument is crumbling South Korea's longstanding concern is that exporting detailed mapping data could expose key infrastructure to hostile threats, particularly from North Korea. But experts argue that in 2025, this reasoning no longer holds up to scrutiny. 'You can already buy sub-meter commercial satellite imagery of South Korea from private providers,' said Choi Ki-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University. In its latest proposal, Google offered to blur sensitive sites if the government supplies coordinates. But even that sparked legal concerns. Under Korea's military laws, simply compiling a list of protected locations could be a violation. The real issue, Choi believes, is the symbolic discomfort of ceding data sovereignty to a global tech platform. 'There's a psychological reluctance to let any part of our national digital infrastructure sit on foreign servers,' he said. 'But we need to be honest about the threat level.' 'This is primarily about control, not national security or technical capability,' said professor Yoo Ki-yoon, a smart city infrastructure expert at Seoul National University. 'Google wants to integrate Korea into its global system on its terms, without storing data locally, without paying Korean taxes at the level domestic firms do, and without meaningful oversight.' Who really stands to gain or lose? The economic stakes are just as complex as the technical ones. South Korea's location-based services market is worth over 11 trillion won ($7.6 billion) according to 2023 Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport data, with over 99 percent of companies in the space being small or mid-sized. These firms rely on the same public mapping data Google wants, but they do so under heavy conditions. They must store the data domestically, pay full local taxes, and invest in additional surveying and development. Giving Google free access, critics warn, could reshape the market in its favor. Developers might rush to build on Google's API, only to find themselves locked into a system where prices spike later, just as they did in 2018 when Google restructured its Maps API pricing globally. 'There's a risk of long-term dependency,' said Ryo Seol-ri, a researcher at the Korea Tourism Organization. 'Right now, Korean platforms like Naver and Kakao have limitations, but at least they're governed by Korean rules. If Google becomes the dominant layer, we lose that control.' Despite launching a multilingual version back in 2018, Naver Map only began expanding foreign-language support for place filters and business info like opening hours and amenities in October. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM NAVER MAP Still, Ryo admits the issue is far from urgent for most stakeholders. 'From a tourism perspective, this isn't what drives people to or from Korea. Visitors are definitely inconvenienced, but they expect to be. It's baked into the experience now.' That may be the most important reason the situation hasn't changed, and likely won't any time soon. There's no single player with the incentive to fix it. The Korean government doesn't want to set a precedent by giving up control of its mapping infrastructure. Google doesn't want to build from scratch if it can pressure its way into a shortcut. And while tourists may grumble, broken Google Maps hasn't kept them from coming. Tourism professor Kim Nam-jo of Hanyang University said, 'Improving map usability would make Korea more tourist-friendly, sure, but it won't suddenly boost visitor numbers. That's why no one sees it as urgent enough to fix.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
17-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore
South Korea cites security. Google cites data restrictions. But the real story may be what neither side wants to admit. It's 2025, and if you try to get walking directions in Seoul using Google Maps, you will still run into the same dead end: the "Can't find a way there" screen. For many tourists, it's both frustrating and baffling. Google Maps offers turn-by-turn walking directions in cities as far-flung as Pyongyang, the capital of the hermit kingdom of North Korea — yet, in Seoul, one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world, it can't guide you from your hotel to the nearest subway station? For two decades, the issue has been blamed on national security. South Korea has strict laws that block the export of high-precision map data, supposedly to prevent misuse by hostile actors. But in 2025, that argument is wearing thin, and a more fundamental tension is coming into focus: Should Google be allowed to freely commercialize taxpayer-funded public data without meeting the standards that domestic companies must follow? The map at the center of this issue is a government-built, high-resolution 1:5000 digital base map maintained by the National Geographic Information Institute. It's publicly funded, annually updated, and rich with layers like sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and road boundaries. Any Korean citizen or entity can access and use it for free. Google claims that without exporting this data to its global servers, it cannot fully enable core features like walking, biking or driving navigation. But experts say Google's "we can't do it without the map' argument is overstated. 'Yes, the 1:5,000 map would help, especially for pinpointing pedestrian pathways,' said Choi Jin-moo, a geographic information science professor at Kyung Hee University. 'But Google could build the necessary layers on its own, using its vast trove of satellite imagery and AI processing, just like it does in countries that don't share any base map data at all.' The evidence is all around. OpenStreetMap, a crowdsourced platform, offers walking navigation in South Korea. So does Apple Maps, despite not having access to NGII's dataset or exporting any official Korean geospatial data. Google already provides walking directions in places like Pyongyang, where mapping data is sparse, and in countries like Israel and China, which impose strict restrictions on geospatial exports. 'If Google can make it work in North Korea,' Choi said, 'then clearly the map is not the only barrier.' In other words, what Google gains by accessing the NGII map might not be feasibility, but convenience. "Rather than spending time and money building its own map layer, it would get a ready-made foundation that is free, publicly funded, and immediately monetizable through ads and API licensing," Choi added. South Korea's longstanding concern is that exporting detailed mapping data could expose key infrastructure to hostile threats, particularly from North Korea. But experts argue that in 2025, this reasoning no longer holds up to scrutiny. 'You can already buy sub-meter commercial satellite imagery of South Korea from private providers,' said Choi Ki-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University. In its latest proposal, Google offered to blur sensitive sites if the government supplies coordinates. But even that sparked legal concerns. Under Korea's military laws, simply compiling a list of protected locations could be a violation. The real issue, Choi believes, is the symbolic discomfort of ceding data sovereignty to a global tech platform. 'There's a psychological reluctance to let any part of our national digital infrastructure sit on foreign servers,' he said. 'But we need to be honest about the threat level." 'This is primarily about control, not national security or technical capability,' said professor Yoo Ki-yoon, a smart city infrastructure expert at Seoul National University. 'Google wants to integrate Korea into its global system on its terms, without storing data locally, without paying Korean taxes at the level domestic firms do, and without meaningful oversight.' Who really stands to gain or lose? The economic stakes are just as complex as the technical ones. South Korea's location-based services market is worth over 11 trillion won ($7.6 billion), with over 99 percent of companies in the space being small or mid-sized. These firms rely on the same public mapping data Google wants, but they do so under heavy conditions. They must store the data domestically, pay full local taxes, and invest in additional surveying and development. Giving Google free access, critics warn, could reshape the market in its favor. Developers might rush to build on Google's API, only to find themselves locked into a system where prices spike later, just as they did in 2018 when Google restructured its Maps API pricing globally. 'There's a risk of long-term dependency,' said Ryo Seol-ri, a researcher at the Korea Tourism Organization. 'Right now, Korean platforms like Naver and Kakao have limitations, but at least they're governed by Korean rules. If Google becomes the dominant layer, we lose that control.' Still, Ryo admits the issue is far from urgent for most stakeholders. 'From a tourism perspective, this isn't what drives people to or from Korea. Visitors are definitely inconvenienced, but they expect to be. It's baked into the experience now.' That may be the most important reason the situation hasn't changed, and likely won't any time soon. There's no single player with the incentive to fix it. The Korean government doesn't want to set a precedent by giving up control of its mapping infrastructure. Google doesn't want to build from scratch if it can pressure its way into a shortcut. And while tourists may grumble, broken Google Maps hasn't kept them from coming. Tourism professor Kim Nam-jo of Hanyang University said, 'Improving map usability would make Korea more tourist-friendly, sure, but it won't suddenly boost visitor numbers. That's why no one sees it as urgent enough to fix.'
