Seoul weighs approval for Google, Apple high-resolution map requests

South Korea is nearing a decision on 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, would show streets, buildings, and alleyways in far greater detail than currently available on these platforms. However, several regulatory and security hurdles remain unresolved.

Earlier this week, South Korea's National Assembly Defense Committee held a parliamentary audit of Google Korea. Lawmakers questioned the company's requests for local map data, raising concerns over national security and digital sovereignty. The session comes two months after Seoul postponed its decision on Google's request to export high-resolution map data in August, following an earlier delay in May.

A policymaker has warned that Google's satellite maps could endanger national security by exposing sensitive military sites when combined with commercial imagery and online data. The lawmaker is urging the government to gain authority to monitor and regulate the export of high-resolution geographic information. Given that South Korea remains technically at war with North Korea, the government is cautious about exposing such locations.

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

In February, Google requested, for the third time in South Korea, permission from the Korean National Geographic Information Institute to use a 1:5,000 scale map, which provides much greater details, in its app and to transfer the map data to servers outside of South Korea. Google already provides maps services in South Korea using 1:5,000 scale map data, according to a Google spokesperson. However, without the ability to export that data, the company cannot offer essential features like the turn-by-turn navigation users expect from a modern mapping app, the spokesperson added.

“Exporting this data enables us to offer a richer, more accurate, and safer experience for daily commutes, tourism, and various location-based services,” the spokesperson at Google told TechCrunch.

Local navigation apps such as Naver Map, T Map, and Kakao Map are the most popular among local users. These apps offer map data at a scale of 1:5,000, and therefore, much more information and detail, giving them a significant competitive advantage.

Techcrunch event DISRUPT FLASH SALE: Save up to $624 until Oct 17 Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Grab your ticket before Oct 17 to save up to $624. DISRUPT FLASH SALE: Save up to $624 until Oct 17 Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Grab your ticket before Oct 17 to save up to $624. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW

In 2011 and again in 2016, South Korean authorities turned down Google's request for access to the country's map data. Officials made clear that approval would hinge on the company opening a local data center and obscuring sensitive locations, including national security sites, citing security concerns. Google declined to meet these conditions.

After South Korea rejected approval in August, Google reportedly agreed to obscure the locations of the country's security sites on Google Maps and Google Earth. The company is blurring sensitive installations to address government concerns over satellite imagery and is reportedly exploring the purchase of government-approved satellite data from local providers, including T Map.

“We have publicly stated our willingness to implement measures such as blurring sensitive installations in satellite imagery. Our aim is always to find solutions that balance national security considerations with our goal of providing a robust and useful service to users in Korea,” the Google spokesperson stated.

Under South Korea's Geospatial Information Management Act (Article 16), government survey data, such as maps and satellite images, cannot be sent abroad without approval from the entire Cabinet. Enacted in the 2014, the law continues to underpin the country's strict control over geospatial data.

Map data has become a sensitive national security issue in conflict zones worldwide. The Israeli army asked Google Maps to turn off real-time traffic data in Israel and Gaza in 2023, just as it did in Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion. And in 2009, European regulators had urged Google to delete original Street View images over privacy concerns.

“The scale of the map service provided by Google can vary even within a single country, depending on the characteristics of the region. For example, a higher-scale map service may be provided for urban areas, while a lower-scale map service may be provided for other regions,” the spokesperson stated. “However, in major countries such as the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and Israel, map services generally at a scale of 1:5,000 or higher are provided in urban areas.”

Apple follows Google in seeking South Korea map data

It's not just Google making moves. Apple also requested in June to export high-resolution map data from South Korea at a 1:5,000 scale. That came after its initial request in 2023 was turned down.

While Google keeps its map servers outside Korea, Apple operates local servers, a distinction the government weighs when reviewing requests. Local servers allow authorities to respond swiftly to security concerns at sensitive sites.

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

Reports suggest Apple may show more flexibility than Google in adhering to government-imposed restrictions, including blurring, masking, or lowering the resolution of sensitive sites. The company is also said to plan to use SK Telecom's T Map as its primary base map data source.

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

Google and Apple are upgrading their maps with detailed building footprints, alleyways, and precise street-level data to enhance navigation, which could also support advanced technologies like self-driving cars and drone deliveries. For South Korea, exporting high-resolution map data could boost tourism, promote local businesses, and drive smart city innovation, while giving the government leverage to enforce security safeguards. Critics, however, warn that the move may primarily benefit U.S. tech giants rather than domestic users.

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

Updated: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that South Korea's Geospatial Information Management Act was passed in the 1970s. We've updated the story to reflect that the current version of the law, enacted on June 3, 2014, sets out its structure and rules, including restrictions on exporting geospatial data. (Oct 16, 9:24PM PT: The article has been updated to include statements from Google.)