Google has once again requested permission from the South Korean government to export high-precision map data, marking its third attempt in nearly two decades. The move, confirmed by local media reports including Chosun Biz and ET News, comes amid increasing US trade pressure and raises concerns about the impact on South Korea's domestic digital mapping industry.
In February 2025, Google submitted an application seeking approval to transfer South Korea's 1:5,000 scale map data to international servers. This scale—far more detailed than the current 1:25,000 map data used by Google Maps in the country—could significantly enhance navigation services and next-generation technologies like autonomous vehicles, digital twins, and urban air mobility. The request is being reviewed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), which has twice rejected similar proposals in 2007 and 2016 due to national security concerns.
Google's renewed push comes as the US intensifies scrutiny of South Korea's digital policies. The 2025 National Trade Estimate Report by the US Trade Representative labeled South Korea as a digital trade barrier, highlighting it as the only major market that restricts the cross-border transfer of geolocation data. The timing of Google's request aligns with broader US efforts under President Donald Trump to press for reciprocal tariffs and freer digital trade.
While Google has agreed to meet South Korea's requirement to blur sensitive sites, it continues to resist calls to establish a local data center—a key condition proposed by the government in 2016. Instead, the company has designated personnel and a hotline to handle any national security concerns arising from map data use.
Industry experts warn that approving Google's access to high-precision data could undermine local competitors such as Naver Map, which leads the market with 27.04 million monthly active users, followed by T Map (14.64 million), Kakao Map (11.71 million), and Google Maps (9.11 million), according to March 2025 figures from IGAWORKS Mobile Index.
The South Korean government has 60 days to respond to Google's application, with a possible extension of another 60 days, meaning a final decision is expected by August 2025. The outcome could reshape the competitive landscape in South Korea's digital navigation sector and serve as a bellwether for how the country balances national security with global trade demands.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
