Republic of Korea: National Geographic Information Institute adopted order extending review period on Google’s high-precision map export request

On 14 May 2025, the National Geographic Information Institute under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport adopted an order to defer the decision on Google’s application to export high-precision national base map data. The review period has been extended by 60 days, with a final decision scheduled by 11 August 2025. The application is subject to review under Article 16 of the Act on the Establishment, Management of Spatial Data, which requires government authorisation for the overseas transfer of basic survey data related to national security. The deferral was made to allow for further discussion on potential implications for national security and the domestic geospatial industry. The committee will also seek input from stakeholders in the spatial information sector.