The number of South Koreans who have downloaded the popular "Pokemon Go" augmented reality game was estimated at about 410,000, although the game is not currently available in the country, according to a survey by an app analytics company on Friday.

Since the mobile game was launched in the United States last week, it has become a global hit with millions of users downloading Nintendo Co.'s latest game. 


Because the game uses data from Google's mapping service, which is restricted by the South Korean government due to security concerns, the "Pokemon Go" app does not work in most parts of the country.

The survey was based on the game's download records by 14,439 people, WiseApp, an app analytics company, said in a statement.

Using the company's predictive model of calculation, WiseApp said some 410,000 people were estimated to have downloaded the game.

South Korea is technically at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.

Last month, Defense Minister Han Min-koo said South Korea will not give Google a license to use South Korean maps unless the company blurs out sensitive military locations on its mapping service.

In spite of the restriction, the northeastern city of Sokcho, near the border with North Korea, became the only city where the game works because it happens to be outside of the mapping restriction zone.

 As word spreads that the game works in Sokcho, people across South Korea have been flocking to the city to play it. (Yonhap)