Go to contents

Controversy continues after S. Korea’s rejection of releasing mapping data

Controversy continues after S. Korea’s rejection of releasing mapping data

Posted December. 10, 2016 06:50,   

Updated December. 10, 2016 07:18

한국어

The Korean government had rejected offshore release of detailed local mapping data. However, this time, the government showed a contradictory attitude after a civil complaint about its rejection was submitted, creating some controversial responses from the public.

A civil complaint titled “Rejection of exporting mapping data to Goggle,” was posted Monday on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s website by someone, obviously disgruntled by the joint government council on map service export’s decision to reject providing mapping data to Goggle at its third progress meeting. “Current satellite map services, including Google Earth and Here Maps, are capable enough to provide detailed locations, and exporting local mapping data to Goggle would not compromise national security at all,” the person who submitted the complaint wrote. This is the same reason Google explained to back up its request for the use of local mapping data.

With regard to such complaint, the National Geographic Information Institute replied, “Export of local mapping data will promote development of related industries, revitalize new industries and expand benefits to the public, thereby further enhancing national interests.” “The National Geographic Information Institute will coordinate in order to promote national interests by letting foreign entities take local mapping data.” In the end, it seems a bit like the Institute stands by the Google’s side.

Whenever similar complaints were submitted, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has repeated, “The Ministry will handle this issue fairly within a legal framework, while focusing on its impacts on national security and national interest more than anything else.”

The National Geographic Information Institute said, “The same person has made numerous postings on the online petition website and called several times to carry his ideas forward, such that local mapping data should open to Goggle. The Institute responded it had been agreed to the extent that it would not compromise national security, but the person never retreated. The Institute used seemingly compromising language with an intention to reconcile, and, after all, it created unexpected controversy.”



Mu-Kyung Shin fighter@donga.com