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Land minister nominee cautions against Google request for map data transfer

Published: 29 Jul. 2025, 17:30

Land Minister nominee Kim Yun-duk speaks during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in western Seoul on July 29. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Land Minister nominee Kim Yun-duk on Tuesday voiced concerns over Google's request to transfer Korea's high-precision map data overseas, citing national security risks.

During his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, Kim said there may be grounds to consider the request from a trade perspective, but stressed that national defense and public safety must take precedence.

"There may be reasons to review the request more proactively, but national security and the safety of our citizens come first," Kim said. "We must approach this matter with extreme caution."

In February, Google submitted an application to the state-run National Geographic Information Institute seeking permission to export 1:5,000-scale high-precision map data to its data centers abroad. A government decision is expected by Aug. 11.

"The 1:5,000-scale map is extremely detailed, and no country has ever exported such high-resolution data. We will take this into account during consultations," the nominee said.

Currently, Google operates its Korean mapping services using publicly available, lower-resolution 1:25,000-scale map data, combined with aerial and satellite imagery. As a result, its local services are of lower quality compared to those offered by domestic providers.

Google made similar requests in 2007 and 2016, both of which were rejected by the Korean government over concerns that exporting such data could expose military installations and other sensitive facilities.

In 2016, Seoul proposed a compromise requiring Google to either blur sensitive sites or store the data on domestic servers, but the U.S. tech giant declined the offer.

This time, Google has reportedly agreed to blur sensitive areas but has also requested coordinate data for designated security facilities, prompting renewed concerns within the government's security community.

Yonhap