Google submits additional documents to push Korea map data export

A Google logo is seen at a company research facility in California. (Reuters-Yonhap)

Google has submitted additional documents to South Korean authorities related to its request to export high-precision map data overseas, industry sources said Friday.

The US IT giant sent the supplementary materials to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport via email at around 11 p.m. Thursday, meeting the government’s deadline for submitting revised documents tied to the export request.

The materials are understood to reflect Google’s acceptance of most of the conditions imposed by the government, including steps to mask domestic security-related facilities and limit the exposure of precise geographic coordinates.

The documents also reportedly spell out how the company plans to process and manage the map data if overseas exports are approved.

However, the submission is said to fall short of specifying concrete plans for establishing a data center in Korea, an issue the government raised in discussions with the company.

Based on the materials submitted, the government plans to convene an interagency consultative body to review requests for overseas transfers of survey outcomes, including high-precision map data.

The panel will examine whether Google’s proposed measures adequately address national security and related concerns before deciding whether to recommend approval.

Government officials said reaching a decision could take several months.

“We will closely examine the materials submitted by Google and proceed with deliberations through consultations with relevant ministries,” a ministry official said.

Attention has also turned to the broader diplomatic context, as trade and tariff negotiations between Korea and the US remain underway. Observers note the possibility of the US side raising the high-precision map exports issue during bilateral talks.

The map Google seeks to export is drawn at a 1:5,000 scale, meaning 1 centimeter on the map corresponds to 50 meters in actual distance.

In November, the ministry convened a meeting of the consultative body at the National Geographic Information Institute to review Google’s request and later asked the company to submit supplementary documentation by Thursday.

Google had sought approval to export high-precision maps in February last year, but the consultative body postponed a decision at meetings held in May and August, extending the review period.

Similar requests made in 2007 and 2016 were rejected by the Korean government on national security grounds.

Authorities have consistently maintained a cautious stance on allowing high-precision maps containing information on military bases and other sensitive or security-related facilities to be transferred overseas.