South Korea’s export controls have emerged as a trade barrier for U.S. technology firms like Google and Apple, both of which have submitted applications to export 1:5,000 scale map data.

South Korea’s Export Restrictions on High-Precision Geospatial Data

South Korea's Export Restrictions on High-Precision Geospatial Data

South Korea’s export restrictions on mapping data act as a protectionist measure that unfairly limits competition from foreign firms. Korean policymakers should reform these rules not only to remove this non-tariff trade barrier but also to ensure that they do not hold back the use of geospatial data by emerging AI tools.

South Korea Should Reform Outdated and Protectionist Mapping Data Restrictions

Democratic allies should co-invest, co-develop, and co-regulate emerging technologies instead of fragmenting digital markets. True leadership will come from joint strategies on export controls, standards, R&D, and talent—not sovereignty slogans.

Beyond Copycat Regulation: A Playbook for Korea’s Digital Partnerships

Beyond Copycat Regulation: A Playbook for Korea's Digital Partnerships

ITIF hosted a panel discussion on a new report on global data localization and what policymakers need to develop new rules, norms, frameworks, and agreements to support data flows.

How Can Countries Support Data Flows, Digital Trade, and Good Data Governance?

Watch now for an expert panel discussion on how South Korea’s regulatory choices will shape its future as a global tech leader, and what the broader implications will be for its strategic positioning in the U.S.-China rivalry.

Korea’s Digital Market: Domestic Regulation and Global Impacts

Korea's Digital Market: Domestic Regulation and Global Impacts

South Korea’s decision to shelve its Platform Monopoly Act while fast-tracking the Online Platform Fairness Act represents a strategic pivot that systematically disadvantages U.S. technology leaders through commission caps, algorithm disclosure mandates, and vague “superior bargaining position” tests that enable discriminatory enforcement.

South Korea’s Single-Firm Conduct Regulation

South Korea's Single-Firm Conduct Regulation

the core challenge now for the Korean innovation economy is to fully make the switch from being a “fast follower” (an economy in which firms are not on the global leading edge of innovation, but rapidly copy the leaders) to being a global innovation leader.

Korea’s Next Innovation Challenge

Korea's Next Innovation Challenge

South Korea risks harming its consumers, economy, and relationship with the United States by adopting Europe's flawed digital competition regulations.

Korea’s Digital Gamble: Will New Tech Rules Hurt Innovation and Help China?

Korea's Digital Gamble: Will New Tech Rules Hurt Innovation and Help China?

Contributing to a special report from the National Bureau of Asian Research, Nigel Cory and Nohyoung Park examine U.S. and South Korean approaches to data policy, including the barriers that arise from policy differences and the efforts made to find common ground and maximize cooperation.

Korea’s Map Data Export Reform Signals Shift Toward Global Digital Competition, Says ITIF

Related

South Korea’s Export Restrictions on High-Precision Geospatial Data

South Korea Should Reform Outdated and Protectionist Mapping Data Restrictions

Beyond Copycat Regulation: A Playbook for Korea’s Digital Partnerships