"Zoom in and you see everything"...Cheong Wa Dae fully exposed on Google and Apple Maps

[Financial News] It has been confirmed that some online map services are still showing the location and interior layout of Cheong Wa Dae, a top-level national security facility, without any masking.
On the 11th, Cheong Wa Dae stated that, following the criticism, "the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) is scheduled to take action."
According to Newsis News Agency, overseas map services such as Google and Apple have not reflected the return of the presidential office to Cheong Wa Dae at all.
Cheong Wa Dae told Newsis News Agency that it is "consulting with the relevant ministry, MOLIT, on masking security facilities, and once the consultations are concluded, masking measures will be implemented immediately." Another senior official at Cheong Wa Dae also conveyed that "the National Geographic Information Institute (NGII) has requested corrective action from Apple."
Under the current Framework Act on National Spatial Information, the disclosure of information that includes national security or military facilities is restricted. Article 22 of the security management regulations of the Korea Land and Geospatial InformatiX Corporation (LX) stipulates that aerial photographs (including originals) containing national security and military facilities must not be disclosed, and that images from which such facilities have been removed must be managed with restricted access.
If any photograph is found in which national security or military facilities have not been removed, the security officer is required to retrieve it and handle it in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

However, on Google Maps, the names of the Main Office Building of Cheong Wa Dae, the State Guest House, and the Presidential Security Service were still displayed directly on the buildings. On Apple Maps as well, when switched to satellite mode, users could zoom in at high resolution not only on the three wings of the Main Office Building of Cheong Wa Dae, but also on the Hannam-dong Presidential Residence where the president and first lady stay, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and the Official Residence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea.
By contrast, Naver and Kakao, in line with the relocation of Cheong Wa Dae, have blocked Cheong Wa Dae search results on their map services and masked both graphic and satellite map images. Even in satellite mode, the area in question appears as if it is covered by forest.


y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter