Seoul Weighs Approval For Google, Apple High-resolution Map Requests

South Korea is nearing a determination connected whether to let Google and Apple to export high-resolution geographic representation information to servers extracurricular nan country. The elaborate maps, which usage a 1:5,000 scale, would show streets, buildings, and alleyways successful acold greater item than presently disposable connected these platforms. However, respective regulatory and information hurdles stay unresolved.

Earlier this week, South Korea’s National Assembly Defense Committee held a parliamentary audit of Google Korea. Lawmakers questioned nan company’s requests for section representation data, raising concerns complete nationalist information and integer sovereignty. The convention comes 2 months aft Seoul postponed its determination connected Google’s petition to export high-resolution representation information in August, pursuing an earlier hold successful May.

A policymaker has warned that Google’s outer maps could endanger nationalist information by exposing delicate subject sites erstwhile mixed pinch commercialized imagery and online data. The lawmaker is urging nan authorities to summation authority to show and modulate nan export of high-resolution geographic information. Given that South Korea remains technically astatine warfare pinch North Korea, nan authorities is cautious astir exposing specified locations.

The government’s last determination connected Google Maps is expected astir November 11, aliases perchance moreover earlier, a South Korean authorities charismatic told TechCrunch. Last month, nan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced it would widen nan reappraisal play by an further 60 days.

In February, Google requested, for nan 3rd clip successful South Korea, support from nan Korean National Geographic Information Institute to usage a 1:5,000 standard map, which provides overmuch greater details, successful its app and to transportation nan representation information to servers extracurricular of South Korea. Currently, Google uses a 1:25,000 standard representation that includes points of liking and outer imagery. Local navigation apps specified arsenic Naver Map, T Map, and Kakao Map are nan astir celebrated among section users. These apps connection representation information astatine a standard of 1:5,000, and therefore, overmuch much accusation and detail, giving them a important competitory advantage.

In 2011 and again successful 2016, South Korean authorities turned down Google’s petition for entree to nan country’s representation data. Officials made clear that support would hinge connected nan institution opening a section information halfway and obscuring delicate locations, including nationalist information sites, citing information concerns. Google declined to meet these conditions.

After South Korea rejected support successful August, Google reportedly agreed to obscure nan locations of nan country’s information sites connected Google Maps and Google Earth. The institution is blurring delicate installations to reside authorities concerns complete outer imagery and is reportedly exploring nan acquisition of government-approved outer information from section providers, including T Map.

Google did not instantly respond to a TechCrunch petition for comment.

Under South Korea’s Geospatial Information Management Act (Article 16), authorities study information — specified arsenic maps and outer images — cannot beryllium sent overseas without support from nan full Cabinet. Passed successful nan 1970s, nan rule continues to underpin nan country’s strict power complete geospatial data.

Map information has go a delicate nationalist information rumor successful conflict zones worldwide. The Israeli service asked Google Maps to move off real-time postulation information successful Israel and Gaza successful 2023, conscionable arsenic it did successful Ukraine aft Russia’s 2022 invasion. And successful 2009, European regulators had urged Google to delete original Street View images complete privateness concerns.

Apple follows Google successful seeking South Korea representation data

It’s not conscionable Google making moves. Apple besides requested in June to export high-resolution representation information from South Korea astatine a 1:5,000 scale. That came aft its first petition successful 2023 was turned down.

While Google keeps its representation servers extracurricular Korea, Apple operates section servers, a favoritism nan authorities weighs erstwhile reviewing requests. Local servers let authorities to respond swiftly to information concerns astatine delicate sites.

Last month, South Korea postponed its determination connected allowing Apple to export high-precision integer representation data, pushing nan reappraisal to December.

Reports propose Apple whitethorn show much elasticity than Google successful adhering to government-imposed restrictions, including blurring, masking, aliases lowering nan solution of delicate sites. The institution is besides said to scheme to usage SK Telecom’s T Map arsenic its superior guidelines representation information source.

Apple did not respond to TechCrunch’s requests for comment.

Google and Apple are upgrading their maps pinch elaborate building footprints, alleyways, and precise street-level information to heighten navigation, which could besides support precocious technologies for illustration self-driving cars and drone deliveries. For South Korea, exporting high-resolution representation information could boost tourism, beforehand section businesses, and thrust smart metropolis innovation, while giving nan authorities leverage to enforce information safeguards. Critics, however, pass that nan move whitethorn chiefly use U.S. tech giants alternatively than home users.

Google Maps has a broader world reach, covering 250 countries and territories, while Apple Maps is disposable successful conscionable complete 200 regions, per a report.