South Korea Set To Get a Fully Functioning Google Maps
Source: Slashdot
South Korea Approves Export of High-Precision Map Data
South Korea has reversed a two‑decade policy and approved the export of high‑precision map data, paving the way for a fully functional Google Maps in the country. Reuters reports that the approval was made “on the condition that strict security requirements are met,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Those conditions include blurring military and other sensitive security‑related facilities, as well as restricting longitude and latitude coordinates for South Korean territory on products such as Google Maps and Google Earth.
The decision is expected to hurt Naver and Kakao—local internet giants that currently dominate the country’s market for digital map services. It also appeases Washington, which has urged Seoul to address what it says is discrimination against U.S. tech companies. South Korea, still technically at war with North Korea, had previously rejected Google’s bids in 2007 and 2016 to export the data, citing risks that information about sensitive military and security facilities could be exposed.
“Google can now come in, slash usage fees, and take the market,” said Choi Jin‑mu, a geography professor at Kyung Hee University. “If Naver and Kakao are weakened or pushed out and Google later raises prices, that becomes a monopoly. Then, even companies that rely on map services—logistics firms, for example—become dependent, and in the long run, even government GIS (geographic information) systems could end up dependent on Google or Apple. That’s the biggest concern.”