Map Data Breakthrough: South Korea Moves Toward Global Integration of Navigation Services

In a significant policy shift balancing security concerns with growing demands for digital accessibility, the government of South Korea has agreed to allow Google to export high-precision national map data overseas under strict safeguards. The move is expected to finally enable fully functional navigation services for international visitors who have long faced difficulties using global mapping platforms in the country.

For years, South Korean authorities rejected similar requests, arguing that exporting highly detailed geographic information could expose military facilities, strategic infrastructure, and sensitive terrain in a nation that remains technically at war with North Korea . Officials maintained that keeping such information on domestic servers was essential for national defence and digital sovereignty . As a result, Google Maps operated with limited accuracy, especially for driving directions and real-time routing.

Under the new decision, Google may export 1:5,000-scale digital maps only after meeting multiple conditions . The company must process information on local servers first, seek government clearance before transferring it abroad, and exclude sensitive elements such as contour lines and certain geographic markers. Authorities also require that imagery of restricted locations be blurred and that precise coordinates of sensitive areas be removed from global services. A compliance officer based in South Korea will monitor adherence, and officials retain the right to suspend approval if rules are violated.

The change could improve the experience of foreign tourists , international students, and business travellers, many of whom struggled with navigation because global apps lacked reliable data. Until now, most residents depended on domestic platforms run by Naver and Kakao , which offer highly accurate local mapping but are less accessible to non-Korean speakers. Tourism advocates have argued that limited access to global mapping tools hindered the country’s ambitions to expand its global travel appeal and strengthen its digital economy .

South Korea’s cautious shift reflects a broader international debate over geospatial information and national control of strategic data. Different countries follow varying approaches. India , for example, allows global mapping services to operate normally but regulates high-resolution surveys near borders and defence installations under its geospatial rules. Meanwhile, China imposes some of the world’s strictest controls, requiring foreign companies to partner with domestic firms and use government-approved coordinate systems for digital maps. Several other nations also restrict the display of sensitive locations, reflecting growing concerns about privacy , infrastructure protection, and technological independence.