Seoul: The South Korean government is likely to postpone its decision on whether to permit Google to export high-precision map data overseas. This potential deferment comes as officials await the outcomes of an impending summit between South Korea and the United States.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. tech giant submitted an application in February to the National Geographic Information Institute, requesting authorization to transfer 1:5,000-scale high-precision map data to its international data centers. The review panel, based on existing regulations, must notify Google of its decision within 60 days, with the possibility of a 60-day extension. The South Korean government utilized this extension, with an anticipated decision deadline of August 11.

An official indicated that despite this timeline, there is a significant chance of further extending the decision deadline. This delay aims to avoid influencing other agenda items at the upcoming Korea-U.S. summit. Consultations are ongoing between Seoul and Washington to finalize the summit date, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that President Lee Jae Myung would visit the White House in two weeks.

The proposed transfer has incited debate over national security, digital sovereignty, and trade concerns. The U.S. has identified this issue as a critical non-tariff barrier, though it was not part of recent tariff negotiations between the two nations. A Seoul presidential office official confirmed that security-related concerns, including the map data issue, will be discussed at the summit.

The decision on Google's request will be made by a review panel comprising officials from key ministries, such as defense, foreign affairs, industry, and science, along with the National Intelligence Service. Currently, Google operates with publicly available lower-resolution 1:25,000-scale map data, resulting in lower-quality mapping services compared to domestic providers.

Google's similar requests were denied in 2007 and 2016 due to national security concerns. In 2016, conditions were proposed for Google to obscure sensitive sites or store data on domestic servers, which Google declined. This time, Google has shown a willingness to comply with blurring requirements and has requested coordinate data for security facilities, raising concerns within the government's security circles.