Find the latest technology news and expert tech product reviews. Learn about the latest gadgets and consumer tech products for entertainment, gaming, lifestyle and more.
reported. The company has received permission from the nation's Transport Ministry to export geographic data out of the country, which will allow it to provide GPS services as well as detailed listings for restaurants and other businesses.
"We welcome today’s decision and look forward to our ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring a fully functioning Google Maps to Korea," Google's senior executive Cris Turner told thein a statement. However, the approval is contingent “on the condition that strict security requirements are met,” a spokesperson from the Transport Ministry said. Those conditions reportedly restrict Google from displaying sensitive military sites and longitude and latitude coordinates. South Korea has generally restricted the export of 1/5000 scale map data over national security concerns, as it's still technically at war with its neighbor North Korea. Google hasn't been able to provide mapping directions or business details since it arrived in the nation, though it has applied twice in 2007 and 2016.This lack of data sharing has reportedly been a bone of contention in trade talks with the US. Google argued that it was unfairly handicapped by the restrictions that allowed local apps like Naver to thrive. However, critics in the nation have expressed concern that Google could now come in and monopolize the market. "If Naver and Kakao are weakened or pushed out and Google later raises prices, that becomes a monopoly. Then, even companies that rely on map services — logistics firms, for example — become dependent ," geography professor Choi Jin-mu told
South Korea Google Transport Ministry Geographic Data
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Echo Boomers’ Help South Korea in Population CrisisSouth Korea has seen births rise for two consecutive years, but will the trend hold?
Read more »
South Korea moves to require crypto, stock influencers to disclose holdings: ReportThe most recent news about crypto industry at Cointelegraph. Latest news about bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain, mining, cryptocurrency prices and more
Read more »
North Korea's Kim Jong Un warns it could destroy South if security threatenedKim Jong Un says North Korea can completely destroy South Korea if it feels threatened, and he refuses to engage with Seoul. On Thursday, state media reports he makes the remarks as he wraps up a ruling party congress. He also signals he still leaves room for talks with Washington. Kim calls for new weapons to strengthen his nuclear forces.
Read more »
South Korea relaunches truth commission with adoption fraud focusSouth Korea has relaunched a fact-finding commission into its past human rights violations, with a key focus on the extensive fraud and malfeasance that corrupted the nation’s historic foreign adoption program.
Read more »
South Korea allows Google to export map data after years of frustrationSouth Korea’s government says it will allow Google to export detailed mapping data of the country to overseas servers under certain security requirements. The approval Friday allays years of frustration by foreign travelers who found that Google Maps didn’t work effectively in the country.
Read more »
South Korea set to finally get a fully functioning Google MapsReuters
Read more »