Arya News - Despite publicly pledging in September to comply with Korea`s security demands, including blurring sensitive facilities and restricting coordinate displays, Google has yet to file revised documents reflecting those commitments, the ministry said.
SEOUL – South Korea has again delayed a decision on whether to approve Google’s request to export high-precision map data outside the country, saying the company failed to submit key documents required for review.
The National Geographic Information Institute under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday that a government review committee deferred the deliberation until Feb. 5, giving Google an additional 60 days to supplement its application.
Google applied in February to export 1:5,000-scale national base map data, but the panel — which includes representatives from the Defense Ministry and National Intelligence Service — concluded the company’s submission was incomplete.
Despite publicly pledging in September to comply with Korea’s security demands, including blurring sensitive facilities and restricting coordinate displays, Google has yet to file revised documents reflecting those commitments, the ministry said.
“The review found discrepancies between Google’s public statements and the technical details in the submitted application,” the ministry said in a statement. “Accurate assessment is difficult without confirming the implementation details.”
Seoul has set three conditions for approval: masking military and security-sensitive sites; limiting coordinate data visibility; and establishing local servers to immediately correct any exposure of restricted areas. Google has reportedly agreed to the first two requirements.
The ministry said it will reconvene the export review committee and make a final decision once Google submits the supplementary materials.