South Korea Wants Google Maps to Blur Out Sensitive Military Areas
This issue between the ROK government and Google continues:
South Korea will not give Google a license to use South Korean maps unless the company blurs out sensitive military installations on its mapping service, Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the United States search engine provider requested permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to access South Korea-supplied maps as part of efforts to upgrade its Google Maps service on South Korea.
It was Google’s second attempt to gain access to South Korean maps following its first unsuccessful trial in 2010.
“Because of (security) concerns, security-related ministries are insisting that (a license) would be possible only after proper measures are taken,” Han told the parliamentary committee on defense affairs, indicating key military facilities should be blurred out first before Google is allowed to use South Korean maps. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link.
Unlike in the US – you can’t use Google Maps to navigate while driving in Korea. Which really sucks because it works great in the States. I realize there are other map/navigation apps out there for navigating around Korea – but it still seems really petty that Korea blocks the Google Maps app from providing navigation for automobiles.
Not given the ad money Google rakes in from Red China…
The RoK’s using a proprietary system and keeping it alive with this BS national security concern to keep Google from steamrolling the Korean companies providing SAT Data. It’s pretty much protectionism on top of abuse of the “national security” clause which is already being abused by the government and they blur many locations other than military installations.
Along time ago the RoK bit into the protectionism 5hit sandwich after much lobbying from local industries, they won’t stop any time soon.