Seoul Map Requests: Google, Apple Face Review
- This article details the difficulties Google and Apple are facing in accessing detailed map data in South Korea,and the steps they are taking to overcome these hurdles.
- * South Korea's Strict Regulations: South Korea has a long-standing law (Geospatial Facts Management Act) preventing the export of detailed map and satellite data without full Cabinet approval,stemming...
- In essence, south Korea is fiercely protective of its geospatial data, forcing international tech giants to adapt to its regulations or risk being left behind in the competitive...
Google and Apple Face Challenges in South Korea’s Map Data Market
This article details the difficulties Google and Apple are facing in accessing detailed map data in South Korea,and the steps they are taking to overcome these hurdles. Here’s a summary of the key points:
* South Korea’s Strict Regulations: South Korea has a long-standing law (Geospatial Facts Management Act) preventing the export of detailed map and satellite data without full Cabinet approval,stemming from national security concerns dating back to the 1970s.
* Google’s Previous Attempts & Current Strategy: Google has twice been denied access to South Korean map data,requiring them to establish a local data center and obscure sensitive locations.They are now complying with requests to blur security installations on Google Maps and Google Earth and are exploring purchasing approved satellite data from local providers like T Map.
* Local Competition: Local navigation apps like Naver Map, T Map, and Kakao Map dominate the South Korean market due to their highly detailed 1:5,000 scale map data.
* Apple’s Recent request: Apple has also recently requested permission to export high-resolution map data from South Korea.
* Global Precedent: the situation highlights a growing trend of map data becoming a national security issue, with similar requests made to Google in conflict zones like Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, and privacy concerns raised in Europe regarding Google Street View.
In essence, south Korea is fiercely protective of its geospatial data, forcing international tech giants to adapt to its regulations or risk being left behind in the competitive mapping landscape.