South Korea Approves Overseas Export of High-Precision Map Data for Google

South Korea has granted permission for Google to export high-precision mapping data to servers abroad, ending a two-decade restriction and opening the door for the company to compete in a market long led by local apps.

The approval comes with strict security requirements, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Sensitive military and security-related locations must be blurred, and certain geographic coordinates are restricted on mapping products like Google Maps and Google Earth.

Google is required to process data on domestic servers and may only export pre-approved information related to navigation and direction services. The government retains the right to request revisions to maps, and Google must implement a security incident prevention framework for emergencies.

Previously, the company’s bids to access South Korean map data were rejected in 2007 and 2016 due to national security concerns. Local mapping services such as Naver and Kakao have dominated the market as a result.

The recent decision comes amid U.S. pressure on South Korea to remove barriers affecting American tech companies.