Seoul is considering approving high-resolution map requests from Google and Apple

South Korea is close to deciding whether to allow Google and Apple to export high-resolution geographic map data to servers outside the country. The detailed maps, which use a 1:5,000 scale, will show streets, buildings and alleys in much greater detail than currently available on these platforms. However, many regulatory and security hurdles remain unresolved.

Earlier this week, South Korea’s National Assembly Defense Committee conducted a parliamentary review of Google Korea. Lawmakers have questioned the company’s requests for local mapping data, raising concerns about national security and digital sovereignty. The hearing comes two months after Seoul postponed its decision on Google’s request to export high-resolution map data in August, after a previous delay in May.

Google satellite maps could jeopardize national security by revealing sensitive military sites when combined with commercial imagery and online data, a policymaker has warned. The legislator urges the government to obtain the authority to monitor and regulate the export of high-resolution geographic information. Since South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea, the government is cautious about disclosing such sites.

The government is expected to make a final decision on Google Maps around November 11, or perhaps earlier, a South Korean government official told TechCrunch. Last month, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it would extend the review period for an additional 60 days.

In February, Google, for the third time in South Korea, requested permission from the Korea National Institute for Geographic Information to use a 1:5,000 scale map, which provides much greater detail, in its app and to transfer the map data to servers outside South Korea. Currently, Google uses a 1:25,000 scale map that includes points of interest and satellite images. Local navigation apps like Naver Map, T Map, and Kakao Map are the most popular among local users. These applications provide map data at a scale of 1:5000, and therefore much more information and detail, giving them a significant competitive advantage.

In 2011 and again in 2016, South Korean authorities denied Google’s request to access the country’s map data. Officials explained that approval would depend on the company opening a local data center and blocking sensitive websites, including national security websites, under the pretext of security concerns. Google refused to meet these conditions.

After South Korea refused approval in August, Google reportedly agreed to hide the locations of security sites in the country on Google Maps and Google Earth. The company is working to obfuscate sensitive installations to address government concerns over satellite imagery, and is reportedly exploring purchasing government-approved satellite data from local providers, including T Map.

Google did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.

Under South Korea’s Geospatial Information Management Law (Article 16), government survey data — such as maps and satellite images — cannot be sent abroad without approval from the entire Cabinet. This law, passed in the 1970s, still supports the country’s strict censorship of geospatial data.

Map data has become a sensitive national security issue in conflict zones around the world. The Israeli military asked Google Maps to stop real-time traffic data in Israel and Gaza in 2023, just as it did in Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022. In 2009, European regulators urged Google to delete its original Street View images over privacy concerns.

Apple follows Google in search for South Korea map data

It’s not just Google making moves. In June, Apple also requested the export of high-resolution map data from South Korea at a scale of 1:5000. This came after its initial application in 2023 was rejected.

While Google maintains its map servers outside Korea, Apple operates servers locally, a distinction the government takes into account when reviewing applications. Local servers allow authorities to quickly respond to security concerns in sensitive locations.

Last month, South Korea postponed its decision on allowing Apple to export high-resolution digital map data, pushing the review to December.

Reports suggest that Apple may show greater flexibility than Google in adhering to government-imposed restrictions, including obfuscating, hiding, or lowering the accuracy of sensitive sites. The company is also said to be planning to use SK Telecom’s T Map as the primary source of base map data.

Apple did not respond to TechCrunch’s requests for comment.

Google and Apple are upgrading their maps with detailed traces of buildings and alleys and precise street-level data to enhance navigation, which could also support advanced technologies like self-driving cars and drone delivery. For South Korea, exporting high-resolution map data could boost tourism, encourage local businesses, and drive innovation in smart cities, while giving the government leverage to enforce security safeguards. However, critics warn that the move may primarily benefit US tech giants and not local users.

Google Maps has a broader global reach, covering 250 countries and regions, while Apple Maps is available in just over 200 regions, according to the report.