SEOUL: South Korea could face up to 197 trillion won (US$136bil) in cumulative economic losses over the next decade if it approves the overseas transfer of its detailed national map data without robust safeguards, according to a new academic study presented on Tuesday.
The projection comes at a critical moment as South Korea’s government prepares to decide on long-pending applications from Google and Apple to export 1:5,000 base map data, a granular geographic dataset that includes detailed building outlines and road networks used in navigation, logistics and mobility platforms.
Google said access to the 1:5,000 base map data is required to provide full walking and driving directions in South Korea, which are currently unavailable on Google Maps.
The analysis, shared at a forum hosted by the Korea Spatial Information Society in Seoul, was conducted by Jung Jin-do, a professor of urban policy at the Korea National University of Education. The losses, spanning 2026 to 2035, range from 150.7 trillion won to 197.4 trillion won, depending on how deeply foreign services penetrate local markets. — The Korea Herald/ANN
