Apple request for detailed Korean mapping data rejected

An Apple store in Seoul [NEWS1]

Apple cannot export detailed mapping data from Korea, the government has said.

The National Geographic Information Institute under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Monday it has rejected Apple’s request to export a precise 1:5,000 scale map data — the most detailed among all data currently available in Korea — on Feb. 16. The request was made on Feb. 2.

It is the first time for the American-based tech company to apply for approval to take the data out of the country.

“We believed exporting the data could affect national security,” an official at the institute, which is in charge of managing the nation's geographic data, told the Korea JoongAng Daily on Monday.

“We have never provided a map of a higher resolution than on a scale of 1:25,000 to overseas map information service providers, because if exported, it could get out of control such as risks of hacking.”

Korea remains technically at war with North Korea and is cautious about releasing map information, especially on key military facilities and infrastructure.

Under the Act on the Establishment and Management of Spatial Data, domestic geographic information more detailed than 1:25,000 cannot be exported without the permission of Korea’s land minister. It requires deliberation of a number of government ministries, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The export of detailed maps has never been approved.

Unlike most other countries, Korea has a limited range of services on the Apple Maps app. The map is able to recognize a user’s location and show streets and roads but doesn’t provide real-time traffic information and navigation services.

The government official said Apple cited “enhancement for its mapping service” when filing the request.

On Feb. 8, Apple confirmed it will bring Apple Pay, a mobile payment service using near-field communication (NFC) technology, to Korea. It did not specify the exact date of introduction, though it is reported that the service will be available as early as late this month.

Overseas, Apple Map shows places that accept its contactless payment technology.

Apple is in a global battle in the automobile infotainment market with its CarPlay, which mirrors phone apps on vehicle displays. Google-based counterpart Android Auto is the main competitor.

“Apple will need domestic mapping data to expand its location-based services by connecting with Apple Pay or to increase its competitiveness against Google, such as in terms of infotainment systems and building autonomous vehicle technology in Korea,” said Jeong Gu-min, an electrical engineering professor at Kookmin University.

Apple did not comment on the reason for its request for the data export.

Google sought access to Korea's mapping data nine times from 2007 to 2016.

It caught public attention in 2016 when the augmented reality game Pokémon Go, which uses Google Maps for its navigational functions, gained popularity.

But after all failures, Google opened a new data center for its cloud services in Korea in 2020.

Homegrown apps from Naver and Kakao could stay dominant for mapping and navigation — and are expanding their services to other related industries such as autonomous driving, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and digital twins.

“At a time where big tech firms already monopolize global data, data monopoly will only intensify if Korea exports its map data which is its digital strategic asset,” said Kim In-hyun, CEO at the Korea Spatial Information & Communication.

An official at a mobility company in Korea, who asked for anonymity, said, “The government banned the export of precise map data in the name of protecting the domestic market, but that made domestic consumers or foreign visitors unable to freely use location-based global services here,” arguing that “consideration of consumer benefits is also needed.”

BY KIM IN-KYOUNG, SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]