Google Censors Military Sites in South Korea on Google Earth
Google has begun blurring out military sites in South Korea on its Google Earth platform. The change was first noticed by researchers at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) when they checked the Lotte Skyhill Seongju Country Club, a golf course where the US has deployed a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense battery since 2017. The site is now obscured in all historical imagery available on Google Earth, dating back to 1985.
Other military bases in South Korea, including Camp Humphreys, Osan Air Base, and the Chinhae Navy Base, have also been blurred. However, open-source analysts can still access recent high-resolution images of these sites from companies like Planet Labs and Vantor.
The blurring of military sites is likely a result of Google's ongoing dispute with South Korea over map access. In 2016, South Korea denied Google's request for high-resolution local maps, citing concerns that the company compromised national security by not blurring sensitive sites. Google eventually agreed to censor South Korean sites in August 2026, after which the Transport Ministry approved their use of local maps.
However, this move has had unintended consequences, making it more difficult for journalists and analysts to track US military activities in the region. The FAS notes that other countries have their own satellites with clear views of every military or relevant governmental site, rendering Google's censorship ineffective.