<2>South Korea Set To Get a Fully Functioning Google Maps
<3>South Korea Reverses Policy, Paves Way for Google Maps
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has approved the export of high-precision map data, a move that will allow Google to provide a fully functional Google Maps service in the country. This decision comes after two decades of restrictions, during which time South Korea had blocked Google’s previous bids to export the data, citing concerns over the potential exposure of sensitive military and security facilities.
<3>Conditions for Approval
The approval was made “on the condition that strict security requirements are met,” the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. Those conditions include blurring military and other sensitive security-related facilities, as well as restricting longitude and latitude coordinates for South Korean territory on products such as Google Maps and Google Earth.
<3>Impact on Local Internet Giants
The decision is expected to hurt Naver and Kakao, local internet giants that currently dominate the country’s market for digital map services. Google’s entry into the market is likely to be a significant blow to these companies, which may struggle to compete with the global tech giant’s resources and expertise.
<3>Appeasing Washington
The decision is also