South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has been waiting for a response from Google for three years after requesting that sensitive national security facilities be blurred or displayed in low resolution on Google Earth. The ministry made the request in November 2021, asking Google to obscure key military sites, including those near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and President Yoon Suk-yeol’s residence in Seoul’s Hannam-dong. However, Google has yet to respond or take action.
Rep. Choi Hyung-du of the People Power Party raised the issue based on data from the Ministry of National Defense. He pointed out that Google has complied with similar requests from countries such as the U.S., France, and Israel but has ignored South Korea’s appeal. In response, the ministry stated that it is working with other government agencies, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, to address the issue.
Rep. Choi criticized Google for failing to act, stating that exposing these sensitive locations violates South Korea’s Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. He urged the Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as the Korea Communications Commission, to demand corrective measures from Google under South Korean law.
Concerns about security have intensified following recent media reports that compared satellite images of President Yoon’s residence on Google Earth over the past two years. These images have led to allegations of unauthorized construction at the site, which opposition lawmakers raised during parliamentary hearings.
While South Korean platforms like Naver and Kakao blur key security locations, Google Earth continues to show sensitive sites, such as military installations near the DMZ, in high resolution. A military official called the exposure of these sites a “clear national security threat.” For instance, images of the Yongsan presidential office reveal the exact placement of rooftop satellite antennas, which contrasts with the low-resolution imagery used for sites like the White House.
Countries such as France and Israel, both U.S. allies, have ensured that their sensitive military locations, including presidential residences and military bases, are blurred or shown in low resolution on Google Earth. Rep. Choi emphasized that the South Korean government must act swiftly to protect its security interests and consider enforcing extraterritorial regulations if necessary to compel Google to comply.
