This week, Strava stopped its service in South Korea, adding the country to the list that already includes Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, China and Cuba (Yikes! That’s a list and a half). It’s unclear if this stops any activities from being recorded in South Korea or prohibits South Korean residents from using them. At least the latter, as the Strava app has been removed from the local Apple and Google app stores.
Existing Strava users can still use the app, but no further updates are planned.
South Korea is one of the good guys, right? So it’s surprising they’ve been added to that list. The reason is probably not political but aligns local laws and country-specific requirements with Strava’s company policy.
Interesting Sidenote: dcrainmker wrote an article earlier this week concerning NORTH Korea.
My suggestion for a cause would be South Korea’s strict privacy laws, particularly those concerning location data. Similar regulations have previously impacted other location-based services, such as Apple’s AirTag and FindMy.
Your alternatives? This is an excellent week for Ride with GPS (RwGPS is a site I like and approve of). Only today, dcrainmaker also points out that venture capitalists have just acquired a competitor of Strava and Ride with GPS, Komoot, with a history of immediately laying off all or most of the acquired staff.
Source: forums and Strava
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One of the good guys? Lovely people but just another capitalist hellscape as evidenced by the end of the article.
In what way?
Capitalist hellscape…I guess that how the officials from the Norther Korean politburo see South Korea…
I think if you lived in a non-capitalist world you’d find the batering and wooden tools a hinderance to a decent lifestyle 🙂
South Korea has its problems, like all countries do. But it’s also a beautiful place to run, hike, cycle, and explore. They value their history and natural resources which makes it a very special place. It’s a shame to see Strava leaving, hopefully they get it sorted out and this is all water under the bridge.