South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it has postponed a ruling on Google’s request to export detailed map data, citing missing documentation and inconsistencies in the company’s filings.
The National Geographic Information Institute has granted Google until February 5, 2026, to provide additional materials before making a final decision. The tech giant, owned by Alphabet, is seeking approval to transfer 1:5,000-scale map data to overseas servers, a move the government has repeatedly resisted due to security risks.
Google argues that the higher-resolution data is necessary for reliable navigation and comparable to the mapping quality offered by local rivals Naver and Kakao. The company said earlier this year that it would comply with national security rules, including blurring restricted facilities and ensuring coordinate data remain inaccessible to users.
Despite those assurances, the ministry said Google’s latest application has not been updated to reflect its commitments, further delaying the review.
South Korea has denied Google’s export requests twice before, in 2007 and 2016, underscoring long-standing concerns about foreign access to sensitive mapping data.
The renewed delay comes amid broader U.S.–South Korea trade and security negotiations, where technology and data sovereignty remain sensitive issues.
