Experts warn high-precision geospatial data could expose military sites and critical infrastructure amid rising drone warfare threats. (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean security and technology experts are raising alarms over Google’s renewed request to export high-resolution digital maps of the country, warning that approval could pose grave national security and economic risks in an era of increasingly drone-based warfare and geopolitical uncertainty.
During a policy forum held at the National Assembly on Thursday, Lee Jeong-hyun, professor of intelligent information security at Seoul Women’s University, stressed that detailed geospatial data could expose critical infrastructure to military or terrorist threats.
“Modern warfare heavily relies on drone precision,” Lee said. “Providing this level of mapping data could severely compromise national security, especially for a divided country like South Korea.”
Google first requested permission to export Korean mapping data in 2007 but was rejected by the National Intelligence Service due to concerns that combining satellite imagery with detailed maps could expose military installations.
Google’s Bid for South Korean High-Precision Maps Sparks National Security Concerns (Image courtesy of Google)
A revised law passed in 2014 allowed limited export of 1:25,000 scale maps, and in 2016, Google submitted a second request—this time for 1:5,000 maps.
The Korean government proposed allowing the export if sensitive facilities were obscured, but Google declined, citing degraded service quality.
Now, in its third request submitted in February 2025, Google has proposed enhanced security measures, including appointing a dedicated executive to liaise with the Korean government and establishing a direct line of communication.
However, the company also requested the exact coordinates of security facilities in order to obscure them—an ask that has intensified controversy. The South Korean government is expected to issue a final decision on the request by August.
Critics argue that such data, once leaked or improperly managed, could become a tool for adversaries. Lee pointed to a recent case where updated Google imagery inadvertently revealed sensitive Ukrainian military facilities, which were allegedly accessed by Russian forces before Google responded to requests for redaction.
Mapping data’s strategic value has only grown as drone attacks become more precise and autonomous. “These maps could directly feed systems designed to carry out pinpoint strikes,” Lee said.
Visual comparisons presented at the forum underscored the difference in data sensitivity. While Google Earth shows detailed satellite imagery of Korean airport runways and aircraft, domestic services like Naver Maps obscure the same locations, displaying them as forested terrain.
During a policy forum held at the National Assembly on Thursday, Lee Jeong-hyun, professor of intelligent information security at Seoul Women’s University, stressed that detailed geospatial data could expose critical infrastructure to military or terrorist threats. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Google argues that the export would enhance its map services and improve convenience for foreign visitors. But experts remain unconvinced. “We can address tourist navigation needs by integrating local maps like Naver’s into roaming services,” Lee countered, suggesting that domestic platforms should be promoted instead to enhance Korea’s digital sovereignty and cultural visibility.
Others believe Google’s motives go beyond navigation. Kim Sang-bae, professor of political science at Seoul National University, contended that Google’s true objective is securing high-quality spatial data to fuel artificial intelligence development.
“This is about gaining access to AI training data,” he said, linking the request to broader efforts by foreign tech firms to loosen cloud security regulations in pursuit of Korean public-sector data.
Hwang Chul-soo, a geography professor at Kyung Hee University, added that high-precision maps are not just commercial assets but “strategic national resources” and urged that decisions regarding their export be made not by mid-level agencies, but at the level of the prime minister or presidential office.
Industry groups have echoed these concerns. According to a recent survey by the Korea Spatial Information Industry Association, which represents over 2,600 companies and 20,000 members, 90% of respondents opposed Google’s request.
Over half predicted “severe” damage to national security and long-term economic impact, including reduced revenue and job losses in Korea’s geospatial sector.
Analysts warn that approving Google’s request could open the floodgates for other global tech giants and foreign automakers—particularly from China—to demand similar access. “Even the U.S., China, and India restrict the release of sensitive mapping data,” one expert noted. “Why should Korea be any different?”
As the August deadline approaches, pressure is mounting for the Korean government to weigh not just the technical implications but the geopolitical, industrial, and national security consequences of its decision.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
