South Korea has, once again, decided to postpone making a decision on whether or not to give the green light to Google for transferring the high-precision map data it has on the country to its international servers. This decision comes after Google requested approval from the Korean National Geographic Information Institute to deploy a 1:5,000 scale map on its app in South Korea and transfer the data to its servers abroad. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in South Korea confirmed this information to TechCrunch.
Initially, the government was expected to finalize its decision within 60 days, by mid-May. However, the deadline has now been extended to August 11 due to ongoing discussions. Google has made similar requests to South Korea in the past, with previous attempts in 2011 and 2016. Currently, Google utilizes a 1:25,000 scale map in South Korea, which includes points of interest and satellite images. If approved, the new 1:5,000 scale high-precision map would provide a more detailed view, including even the narrowest streets.
In 2016, South Korean officials rejected Google’s request, stating that approval would only be granted if the tech company established a data center within the country. Additionally, the government requested Google to blur sensitive locations, such as national security facilities, on its maps for security reasons. As of now, Google has not confirmed whether it plans to set up a data center in South Korea, despite operating data centers in various countries worldwide, including Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia. Data restrictions imposed by the government have affected the performance of Google Maps and Apple Maps in South Korea. Foreigners and tourists often encounter difficulties navigating with Google Maps due to limited information and language support, leading them to opt for local apps that do not cater to foreign languages.
Local navigation apps like Naver Maps, TMaps, and Kakao Maps are the preferred choice among South Korean users. These apps offer map data at a scale of 1:5,000, providing more information and detail compared to Google Maps. Naver Maps, launched in 2002, boasts approximately 27 million monthly active users, while Kakao Maps and TMaps have around 11 million and 24 million MAUs, respectively. Despite the popularity of these local apps, Google has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
