Seoul, South Korea – February 28, 2026 – The South Korean government has approved Google’s request to transfer government-supplied high-precision map data to its overseas facilities, ending a nearly two-decade restriction that had prevented the company from offering full-featured Google Maps services in the country.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the decision on Friday following inter-ministerial consultations involving officials from foreign affairs, defense, national security, and other relevant agencies. The approval marks a significant policy shift, reversing denials issued in 2007 and 2016 on grounds of national security.
“We approved the overseas transfer on condition that Google strictly comply with security guidelines,” the ministry stated. Key conditions include:
- Masking or obscuring images and data related to sensitive military, government, and critical infrastructure facilities.
- Restricting the exposure of precise geographic coordinates.
- Processing raw data at a domestic partner’s data center in South Korea before any transfer.
- Limiting overseas transmission to map data specifically required for navigation services.
- Prohibiting the export of sensitive elements such as detailed contour lines.
Requiring Google to appoint a local representative in South Korea to serve as the primary point of contact with authorities and respond immediately to any security incidents or compliance concerns.
The ministry emphasized that these safeguards are designed to prevent any potential misuse of detailed geographic information while allowing Google to enhance its mapping and navigation capabilities for Korean users.
Google welcomed the decision. Cris Turner, the company’s vice president for government affairs and public policy, issued a statement expressing gratitude and optimism about future collaboration: “We welcome today’s decision and look forward to our ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring a fully functioning Google Maps to Korea.”
The approval follows Google’s renewed application submitted in February 2025, in which the company committed to meeting South Korea’s stringent security standards. Google pledged to remove precise coordinate data for the country from its global maps and to obscure imagery of designated sensitive sites. Currently, Google Maps in South Korea relies on publicly available 1:25,000-scale topographic data supplemented by aerial and satellite imagery, which limits the precision of navigation, real-time traffic updates, and detailed driving directions compared to local competitors such as Naver Map and KakaoMap.
Google has long argued that access to higher-resolution 1:5,000-scale government-provided data is essential for delivering comprehensive, accurate mapping features in one of the world’s most digitally advanced and densely populated nations. South Korea ranks among global leaders in broadband penetration, smartphone usage, and adoption of location-based services, making advanced navigation tools critical for daily life, logistics, tourism, emergency response, and ride-hailing applications.
The decision reflects a careful balancing of national security priorities with the demands of the digital economy. South Korea maintains strict controls over high-precision mapping data due to concerns that detailed geographic information could be exploited for military or intelligence purposes, particularly given ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and with neighboring powers.
By permitting limited overseas transfer under rigorous safeguards, the government aims to enable global tech companies to provide enhanced services while protecting classified information. Compliance will be closely monitored, with any violations potentially leading to revocation of the approval or other penalties.
The move is expected to improve the user experience for Google Maps in South Korea, where the platform has faced criticism for less accurate navigation compared to domestic alternatives that enjoy unrestricted access to detailed data. Enhanced mapping capabilities could benefit a wide range of sectors, including transportation, urban planning, and emergency services.
No immediate reactions were available from local competitors or consumer advocacy groups, but analysts anticipate increased competition in South Korea’s navigation and location-based services market. The decision also highlights South Korea’s evolving approach to digital regulation—balancing innovation, user convenience, and national security in an increasingly data-driven world.
