South Korea’s government says it will allow Google to export detailed mapping data of the country to overseas servers under certain security requirements
ByKIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press
February 27, 2026, 2: 11 AM
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s government on Friday said it will allow Google to export detailed mapping data of the country to overseas servers under certain security requirements, responding to years of frustration by foreign travelers who found that Google Maps didn’t work effectively in the country.
After a review by government officials and private experts, authorities approved Google’s request to export 1:5,000-scale, high-precision map data on the condition that it implements security safeguards, such as limiting transfers to data necessary for navigation services and excluding contour lines and other sensitive information.
South Korean officials for years had rejected requests by foreign tech companies such as Google and Apple to transfer detailed mapping data to overseas servers, often citing security concerns, such as the risk that rival North Korea could exploit sensitive geographic information.
Google will have to process the data first on domestic servers and receive government clearance