Three months have passed since Google requested the export of high-precision map data from the South Korean government.
According to the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) industry on the 4th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will hold a related meeting chaired by Minister Park Sang-woo on the 15th, aiming to reach a preliminary conclusion on Google’s request to transfer domestic high-precision maps with a scale of 1:5000 to Google data centers overseas.
Previously, Google requested the export of high-precision map data in 2007 and 2016 to enhance its Google Maps features, but the government denied both requests due to security concerns. Google currently provides maps of Korea by combining publicly available map data with aerial and satellite images at a scale of 1:25,000, which has not reached the level of services provided by Naver or Kakao.
Earlier, the government suggested that Google should utilize high-precision map data by maintaining servers in the country in 2016, but Google did not accept this. Within the industry and beyond, there is speculation that this time the government might accept Google’s request, considering the changed trade environment.
In the context of an all-out tariff war that the U.S. government has been conducting since President Donald Trump took office, there is a significant possibility that the South Korean government will adopt a forward-looking stance on the issue of exporting precise map data, which has been identified as a major non-tariff barrier. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who stepped down to run for the presidential election, expressed a forward-looking position regarding the issue of exporting precise maps in an interview with foreign media, noting that "there are areas that can be improved."
Since the inauguration of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, it has already been reported that the Prime Minister's office, which has been overseeing national affairs, has decided to grant permission regarding the export of high-precision map data.
Domestic platform operators express concerns. While they have enjoyed a relatively stable market position within the fence set by the government due to the special security environment, this time they will inevitably face direct competition with global big tech companies over the South Korean market.
According to Mobile Index, as of March, Naver Maps had the highest monthly active users (MAU) at 27,047,733, followed by Tmap (14,646,727) and KakaoMap (11,712,058).
Google Maps has 9,110,162 MAU, ranking fourth. The absolute number itself is only about one-third of Naver's.