Google Maps Finally Works in South Korea After Years

Millions of travelers who struggled to navigate South Korea with Google Maps are about to get the tool they've relied on everywhere else in the world.

South Korea announced Friday it will allow Google to export detailed mapping data to overseas servers for the first time. The decision ends years of restrictions that made South Korea one of the few countries where the globally dominant Google Maps had limited use.

Foreign visitors have long complained about Google Maps lacking full walking and driving directions in South Korea. Locals relied instead on services from South Korean internet companies like Naver and Kakao, leaving tourists often lost or forced to download unfamiliar apps.

The government cited security concerns for years, worried that rival North Korea could exploit sensitive geographic information if detailed maps left the country. After reviewing Google's request with government officials and private experts, authorities approved the export under strict conditions.

Google must first process all data on domestic servers and receive government clearance before exporting anything. The company has to remove coordinates from South Korean territory and blur satellite images of military and other sensitive sites in services like Google Earth and Street View.

The approval only allows transfers of data necessary for navigation services. Contour lines and other sensitive information must stay excluded. Google will also need to employ a compliance officer in South Korea to handle map export issues, and the government can suspend or revoke approval if the company doesn't comply.

"We welcome today's decision and look forward to ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring fully functioning Google Maps to Korea," said Cris Turner, Google's vice president of government affairs and public policy.

The Ripple Effect: This decision impacts far more than tourist convenience. Control over mapping data has become crucial for emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles, robotics, and smart city development. Critics of the restrictions argued they hindered innovation and undermined tourism, while supporters worried about business impacts on domestic firms and called mapping data a matter of national sovereignty.

The change signals growing confidence in balancing security needs with technological progress and visitor experience.