US tech lobby flags Korea's map data ban as unfair trade barrier
As US President Donald Trump has pledged to rectify unfair trade practices against the US and directed the USTR to investigate such matters, speculation is growing over whether Washington will pressure Seoul on the issue in upcoming bilateral tariff negotiations.
In its submission to the USTR on March 11, the CCIA mentioned Korea multiple times.
'Exporting map data requires approval from the Korean government. To date, Korea has never approved the exporting of map data, despite numerous applications by international suppliers," the association's comment read.
'Korea's restrictions on the export of map data continue to disadvantage foreign providers that offer apps and services that rely on map-based functions — such as traffic updates and navigation directions — from fairly competing against their Korean rivals,' it further argued.
Estimating that Korea accounts for about 1.6 percent of total US digital service exports, the CCIA asserted that these regulations threaten about $130.5 million in annual revenue for American mapping service providers operating in the Korean market.
Google previously requested permission from the Korean government to export high-precision map data. However, the government has denied such requests, citing national security concerns.
The IT company made similar appeals in 2007 and 2016, both of which were rejected due to fears that the combination of maps and satellite imagery could expose military installations and other sensitive sites.
The CCIA also criticized Korea's Cloud Security Assurance Program, saying that it acts as a market barrier for US cloud service providers. CSAP is a certification system ensuring the security of cloud computing services, serving as a prerequisite for supplying cloud services to public institutions.
Furthermore, the CCIA highlighted that Korea's regulatory framework requires major US online content providers to bear responsibility for network performance, forcing them to pay significant fees to Korean telecom operators.
Regarding platform regulations, the CCIA claimed that Korea is modeling its legislative efforts after the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which poses considerable barriers for US companies. The association also noted that some proposed laws appear to grant preferential treatment to Chinese firms over their American counterparts.
"The CCIA's position was recently released, and since it is an internationally sensitive issue, various aspects still need to be reviewed. As of now, the government has no official stance to announce," said an official from the National Geographic Information Institute.
The Trump administration has previously designated Korea as an unfair trade partner on multiple occasions, applying pressure through tariff-related measures.
The US is set to announce new reciprocal tariffs on April 2, considering various nontariff barriers. Ahead of this decision, the USTR is gathering industry opinions on regulations imposed by foreign governments that American businesses find unjust.
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