Gov't miffed as Google Maps mislabels Dokdo Museum as memorial for North Korean leader

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Gov't miffed as Google Maps mislabels Dokdo Museum as memorial for North Korean leader

Published: 19 Sep. 2025, 13:56 Updated: 19 Sep. 2025, 14:41

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks to lawmakers at a session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Sept. 16. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

An error on Google Maps that mislabeled the Dokdo Museum in Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang, as the “Kim Il Sung Memorial Hall” has prompted strong regret and swift corrective action from the Korean government.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok instructed the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to "urgently request Google to correct the mislabeling and deliver the government’s strong regret," according to his office on Friday.

"Thoroughly investigate the cause of this error and strongly demand that Google ensures that such incidents do not occur again," Kim stressed to the ministries.

The Herald Business reported on Thursday that the main building of the Dokdo Museum in Ulleung County had been incorrectly labeled on Google Maps with the name of a North Korean facility, "Kim Il Sung Memorial Hall."

The mislabeling is considered highly sensitive due to its overlap with ongoing territorial disputes with Japan over Dokdo and its symbolic implications for inter-Korean relations, both of which have heightened public concern.

Experts warn that even if such errors on global IT platforms are accidental, they can quickly escalate into diplomatic disputes when they directly touch on issues of territory, security and history.

The government is unlikely to dismiss the case as a mere "technical mistake" and is expected to begin working on institutional measures to prevent recurrence.

Whether Google responds swiftly with corrections and a clear explanation will likely be the decisive factor in any future diplomatic repercussions, according to reports.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]