Seoul, Aug 8 The South Korean government on Friday delayed its decision on Google's request to export high-precision map data overseas, the transport ministry said, amid pressure from Washington to resolve the issue, calling it a non-tariff barrier.
In February, the U.S. tech giant submitted an application to the state-run National Geographic Information Institute under the ministry, seeking approval for the transfer of 1:5,000-scale high-precision map data to its data centres abroad, reports Yonhap news agency.
The review panel extended the deadline for the decision by 60 days during its May meeting, citing the need for further discussions on national security and the potential impact on domestic industries, and was supposed to reach a decision by Monday.
But it decided to extend the deadline by another 60 days, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The review panel is composed of officials from major ministries, including the defence, foreign affairs, industry and science ministries, as well as the National Intelligence Service.
Officials said the latest decision was made upon Google's request, as the company sought more time to review ways to address national security concerns related to the data exports.
But the Seoul government seems to be cautious on the matter, as reaching a conclusion ahead of possible discussions on the matter at a future South Korea–U.S. summit could be sensitive and influence other agenda items to be discussed during the summit.
Consultations are under way between Seoul and Washington to set a date for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. Some reports have said that the summit will likely take place around Aug. 25.
Currently, Google provides South Korean maps using publicly available lower-resolution 1:25,000-scale map data combined with aerial and satellite imagery.
The United States has cited the issue as a key non-tariff barrier, though it was excluded from the recent tariff agreement between the two nations under which the U.S. imposes a 15 percent tariff on South Korean imports in exchange for South Korea's pledge to invest US$350 billion in the U.S.
It was not known if the data transfer issue will be on the table at the upcoming summit.
Google previously made similar requests for the transfer of high-precision map data overseas in 2007 and 2016, but Seoul rejected them due to national security concerns, citing the potential exposure of military bases and other sensitive facilities.
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