Apple corrects map after VANK's protest over ownership of Mount Paektu

This screenshot shows the rectified Apple Map on iPad demarking the border between North Korea and China dividing Heaven Lake on Mount Paektu. Previously the international tech giant's map service included the high-altitude crater lake in Chinese territory, and Korean civic organization VANK held a campaign to correct this. Courtesy of VANK

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Apple has corrected its default map after Korean activists protested the big tech company for marking the entire Heaven Lake area of Mount Paektu area as Chinese territory, according to a nongovernmental organization, Friday.

The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), a civic organization promoting a correct understanding of Korean culture and history, started its campaign on July 12 urging Apple to modify the map to correct the border's location which divides the high-altitude crater lake Mount Paektu between North Korea and China.

The organization found that the map provided for all products of the global company, including iPhone, iPad and Mac laptops and desktops, described the lake as being entirely within the territory of China.

Heaven Lake, known as “Cheonji” in Korea or “Tianchi” in Chinese, is located inside a caldera on top of the mountain. In 1962, North Korea and China negotiated a border treaty in which North Korea owns 54.5 percent of the mountain, while China owns 45.5 percent. The southeastern end of the lake belongs to North Korea and the northeastern part to China, and both countries operate tours to their respective sides of the lake.

This screenshot provided by VANK shows the previous Apple Map on iPhone, left, with the border between North Korea and China in the lower-right corner, and the corrected version with the border crossing Heaven Lake. Courtesy of VANK

VANK said Mount Paektu and Heaven Lake carry a highly significant meaning in Korea's history and initiated a campaign calling for Apple to rectify the map to be in line with other international and Korean map services such as Google Maps and Naver Map.

"Mount Paektu is called the 'spiritual mountain' of Korea, and the lake being marked as Chinese territory must be corrected," the organization said in a statement.

"Billions of people use the map integrated with Apple devices every day and we saw an urgent need to rectify it."

According to the organization, Apple's map now indicates the correct border dividing Heaven Lake as of Thursday.

VANK said it will launch another campaign to correct other services and maps inaccurately describing all of Mount Paektu as China's Mount Changbai.

"China is promoting its Northeast Project to incorporate Korea's history of Gojoseon, Goguryeo and Balhae as Chinese history. We will publicize Korea's Gojoseon, Goguryeo and Balhae to counter China's campaign," the organization said.