Google Removes South Korean Coordinates to Secure Map Data

The South Korean government announced on November 13 that Google has removed latitude and longitude coordinates for South Korean territory from Google Maps and Google Earth. This action fulfills a security condition attached to a permit granted in February 2026, which allows the export of high-precision map data and ends two decades of restrictions.

As part of the agreement, Google must also delete Street View imagery of military and security facilities. To meet these security standards, Google partnered with TMAP Mobility to process base map data on domestic servers, a system expected to be operational by next year.

The government warned that it will suspend or revoke the export permit if serious breaches of these security conditions occur.