Removal of Coordinate Displays and Security Processing Required
Data Must Be Processed by Domestic Partner Companies
The government has decided to grant conditional approval for the overseas transfer of high-precision maps, a request made by major foreign big tech companies such as Google. However, it included a clause stating that if strict security requirements are not met, the permission for data transfer will be revoked and the data will be retrieved.
The "Survey Data Overseas Transfer Council," composed of related ministries and agencies including the National Geographic Information Institute under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, held a meeting on February 27 and reached this decision.
A high-precision map refers to a 1:5,000 scale map that expresses an actual distance of 50 meters as approximately 1 centimeter on the map. Google had previously requested the transfer of high-precision maps since 2007 to ensure smooth domestic mapping services, but the government rejected these requests, citing national security concerns. Google made another request for map transfer in February last year, but the government deferred the request three times-in May, August, and November.
The council stipulated compliance with strict security conditions as a prerequisite. For example, when providing satellite or aerial images of Korean territory through global services like Google Maps, only images that have undergone security processing must be used. For Street View on Google Earth, military and security facilities must be masked. The council also required the removal and restriction of coordinate displays related to Korean territory.
Original data processing for domestic maps is only permitted through domestic servers operated by Korean companies. Security-sensitive data, such as contour lines, are excluded from the data subject to export, and only limited data necessary for navigation and route-finding services can be transferred. In cases where military or security facilities are altered and updates are needed, modifications must be made at the government's request, and a domestic partner company should manage the relevant procedures on domestic servers.
Provisions to prevent security incidents must also be established. Before exporting high-precision maps, a "security incident prevention and response framework" must be established through consultation with the government, and technical measures must be implemented to enable an emergency response to security threats. Additionally, a dedicated map manager for Korea must be stationed locally to ensure a constant communication channel with the government.
The government plans to suspend transfer permissions and retrieve the data for companies that fail to comply with security requirements. The council stated, "By establishing a system where sensitive information is processed on domestic servers of local partner companies subject to domestic law and only limited data without security issues is exported, post-management and control rights can be secured."
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