Ryu2.mind

Google pic service 'a security threat'

South Korea has expressed concern about a service offered by US internet company Google that shows satellite photos of sensitive facilities in the country, the president's office said on Thursday.

The office said Seoul was in talks with Washington over Google Earth, a map search engine service from the US portal site, which makes available images of South Korea's presidential office and military facilities including air force bases and naval ports.

"As (Google's) satellite photos are beyond our control, we are in discussion with US authorities," presidential spokesman Kim Man-soo said.

He said Google Earth's satellite photos sparked "security concerns."

South Korean newspapers have said the service could pose a great security threat to the country, which is still technically at war with North Korea.

Don't get me wrong. I love nearly everything about Korea and Koreans. I went to a Korean community on Sundays for most of my college career. Many of my friends are Korean or Korean-American. I've also had the privilege of visiting South Korea a few years back, graciously hosted by my Korean friends, and poignantly seeing the DMZ, the War Memorial museum, and other reminders of a devastating conflict just over 50 years ago.

But in this case, I fail to see much justification for South Korea's complaints. Yes, there's always the threat of attack from North Korea. Same with Taiwan and Mainland China... or Israel and pretty much every other Middle Eastern state. And yet, you don't hear Taipei or Jerusalem complain... or how about Pyongyang itself?

Are they so naive to think that during the decades of the Cold War, a Russian/Soviet satellite never snapped some pics of Seoul, and they were never shared with Pyongyang?

At most, bring it up with Google -- not the US government. Actually... not even Google in this case, as they didn't go and snap those photos, but the commercial providers of satellite imagery that Google Earth merely aggregates. It's not like Google is the only game in town... try Space Imaging or even good ol' Microsoft.

OK, granted, it's not like I'll sleep better knowing I can view overheads of the Presidential Palace in Seoul. But if every government or private entity starts complaining -- through diplomatic channels normally reserved for government-government affairs, no less -- where is the line drawn?

Aiyah. Or as they would say... aigoo... =P