Google blurs South Korean military sites to enable high-precision map export

Google has begun blurring satellite and aerial imagery of South Korean military and security facilities on Google Maps and Google Earth. This move follows the South Korean government's conditional approval for the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers.

Key locations currently obscured include the Blue House, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Intelligence Service, and major U.S. military installations such as the THAAD base in Seongju. Additionally, high-resolution imagery of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) has been replaced with lower-resolution, mosaic-style images.

By complying with these security requirements, Google aims to expand its core map services in South Korea—including vehicle and pedestrian navigation—which are currently limited. The company is targeting a service expansion by the first quarter of next year. To achieve this, Google must submit technical verification data to a government consultative body involving the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of National Defense, and the National Intelligence Service.

While the move aims to protect national security, some experts warn of potential side effects, such as inadvertently highlighting sensitive locations to North Korea or impacting domestic spatial information industries and data sovereignty.