Google Seeks Approval for High-Precision Map Data Transfer in South Korea

Google has increased its production capacity to accelerate the transfer of high-precision map data, which contains sensitive details of South Korea’s geography, to international servers. This push follows the company’s formal application to the Korean National Geographic Information Institute in February. The tech giant aims to deploy a detailed 1:5,000 scale map on its app specifically for South Korea, which would significantly enhance navigation options for users in the region.

In 2016, South Korean authorities turned down the last comparable request. They listed Google’s lack of a data center located within their borders as the key driver behind their choice. The challenge with worries about data sovereignty and national security at a high point, stricter regulation on geographic information followed.

First, Google is already running a vast global network of data centers. Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia are a few countries where you would be able to find such resource/solution centers. The lack of a local data center in South Korea continues to be the largest obstacle. The requested 1:5,000 scale map would provide enhanced detail, including narrow streets that are often not represented adequately in existing maps.

Officials had originally called for a mid-May deadline for a decision on the request. They’ve since pushed this deadline back to the end of the day on August 11. As of now, Google has continued to negotiate with the South Korean government to prevent the transfer of such vital data. As Google continues to negotiate the deal, the tech giant wants to assuage the concerns that officials have about security and compliance.

Yet Google Maps has come under fire for often lacking comprehensive information and language accessibility. This creates a disconnect that leaves foreigners and tourists alike scrambling to understand the hectic streets of South Korea. Local navigation applications such as Naver Map, TMaps, and Kakao Map provide high-precision mapping at the same 1:5,000 scale. This local competition further emphasizes the need for Google to enhance its mapping capabilities to remain relevant in the market.