Google Maps in Korea (November 2026): What Works, What Doesn't, and Which Apps to Use Instead

Muamoa
Muamoa

By the Korea Vibe Hopper team · Updated November 3, 2026

Busy Hongdae street market at dusk lined with neon shop signs and a phone case kiosk
Hongdae's side streets are where map apps get tested hardest. Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

If you have ever opened Google Maps in Seoul, you know the feeling. The red pin is there, the subway route looks fine, and then the walking part turns into a dotted line with no turn-by-turn help. Many visitors heard that Google finally got approval to use Korea's detailed map data in 2026 and assume the problem is solved. It is not, at least not yet. This guide explains what Google Maps does and does not do in Korea as of November 2026, why the February 2026 approval has not changed the app so far, and how to set up Naver Map and KakaoMap so you can get around without stress. Everything here comes from Korean government notices, app store listings, NAVER's own announcements and Korean and English news reports, linked at the end.

Key takeaways

  • As of November 2026, Google Maps in Korea still shows mainly place listings, reviews and public transit routes. Driving and walking turn-by-turn navigation are not available.
  • Korea gave Google conditional approval to export 1:5,000-scale map data on February 27, 2026, but data only leaves the country after the government confirms the conditions are met.
  • Google said in August 2026 that it plans to offer turn-by-turn directions in Korea but gave no date. A Korean news report said early 2027 was the target; Google has not confirmed that.
  • Naver Map works in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese and has English navigation, real-time transit and get-off alerts.
  • Since June 4, 2026, foreign visitors can verify a Naver account with a passport instead of a Korean phone number, which opens up bookings and orders.

Contents

What Google Maps does in Korea right now

Google Maps is not useless in Korea. It is just limited. According to a Korea Herald report from August 25, 2026, the Korean version of the app currently offers place listings, reviews and public transportation information. You can search for a café, read reviews in your own language, save places to a list and get a subway or bus route between two points. What you cannot get is the part most travelers rely on at home: step-by-step driving directions, and walking routes that follow the actual streets. The same report notes that walking legs show up as dotted lines rather than a guided path.

In central Seoul that gap matters more than you might think. The big sights are easy to find, but a lot of the best food and cafés sit in narrow alleys, basements and upper floors. A straight dotted line from a subway exit to a restaurant does not tell you which side street to take, or that the entrance is round the back.

View over dense Seoul high-rise neighborhoods from a green hillside under a cloudy skySeoul is huge, and its streets rarely follow a simple grid. Photo: yamchhetri / WordPress Photo Directory, CC0Seoul at night with lit riverside roads and the city skyline behindDriving directions in Korea come from Korean apps, not Google, as of November 2026. Photo: JJChoi / Pixabay, Pixabay Content LicenseFront of Gwanghwamun gate with its stone arch and wooden name plaqueBig landmarks like Gwanghwamun are easy to find in any app. Photo: lukecarbis / WordPress Photo Directory, CC0

Where Google Maps is still handy

  • Reading reviews in English. Google reviews from other visitors can help you judge a place, even if Korean apps have far more local reviews.
  • Saving your trip plan. If you already keep lists in Google Maps at home, it is a simple way to pin hotels and sights before you fly.
  • Rough transit planning. Subway and bus routes appear, which is enough to estimate travel time between neighborhoods.

Locals mostly use Korean apps. The Korea Herald reported that in April 2026 Naver Map had about 29.25 million monthly active users, KakaoMap about 12.77 million and Google Maps about 9.08 million. Google's number is growing, though. Korean outlet ETNews reported that Google Maps reached about 11.18 million monthly users in Korea in August 2026, up 17.8 percent year on year, a record for the app, while Naver Map had about 30.8 million.

The 2026 map data approval, explained

The limit comes from Korean law and security policy, not from Google being slow. Korea restricts the export of detailed map data, and Google's driving and walking tools are built on data processed on its servers abroad. Google asked to take 1:5,000-scale map data out of the country in 2007 and again in 2016, and was turned down both times, the Korea Herald reported. A third request filed in February 2025 was deferred three times.

On February 27, 2026, the government gave a conditional yes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Google had submitted supplementary materials on February 5, and that the data would only be exported after the government confirmed the conditions were being met. According to the Korea Herald, those conditions include:

  • processing the data on domestic servers run through a local partner, and using only base map and transport network data reviewed by the government;
  • removing or restricting coordinates for Korean territory in Google's services;
  • blurring sensitive facilities in imagery, including Street View, and leaving out contour (elevation) data;
  • a "red button" that lets authorities respond quickly to security issues, plus a dedicated map affairs officer in Korea;
  • the right to revoke the approval if the conditions are broken.

So the approval is the start of a process, not a switch that was flipped in February. A map expert quoted by the Korea Herald in August said Google also needs much more local data, such as points of interest, addresses, real-time traffic, parking and transit details, before it can match Korean apps.

Green Jamsil station sign for Line 2 with the station number 216 and English nameSubway signs show a station number, which helps when names look alike. Photo: Mobius6 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Pink Line 8 platform sign for Cheonho Station with arrows to the next stopsLine colors and numbers match what transit apps show. Photo: Striker9498 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0Section of the green Seoul Subway Line 2 route map with station namesLine 2 is a loop, so check the direction in your app. Photo: Aspere / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Timeline: from 2007 to November 2026

WhenWhat happenedSource
2007Google's first request to export Korean map data is rejectedKorea Herald
2016Second request rejectedKorea Herald
February 2025New request for 1:5,000-scale data; decision deferred three timesKorea Herald
February 5, 2026Google submits supplementary materialsMinistry of Foreign Affairs
February 27, 2026Conditional approval announcedMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Korea Herald
August 2026Google says it plans turn-by-turn directions in Korea; no date givenKorea Herald, 9to5Google
September 2026Korean media report a target of early next year for a fuller service, plus a plan for Google navigation in Uber taxis; not confirmed by GoogleHerald Business, ETNews
November 3, 2026We found no announcement that turn-by-turn navigation has launched in KoreaOur check of the sources below

In short: if your trip is this winter, plan as if Google Maps will not have navigation. If something changes, it will be a bonus.

Google Maps vs Naver Map vs KakaoMap

The two Korean apps are free and both work for visitors. The table below uses what each app's store listing says as of November 2026.

FeatureGoogle MapsNaver MapKakaoMap
LanguagesYour phone's languageKorean, English, Japanese, ChineseKorean and English
Public transit routesYesYes, with real-time transit infoYes, with real-time bus locations
Walking directionsDotted line onlyYes, plus AR walking directionsYes
Car navigationNot availableYes, including English navigationYes, built into the app
Transit alertsNoGet-on and get-off alertsSubway boarding and exit alerts
Other extrasReviews in many languagesBookings and orders (passport-verified accounts)Bicycle routes, ferry booking

Which one should you pick? Naver Map is the safer default for most visitors because of the four languages and the bigger local user base. KakaoMap is a good second app, especially for buses. Having both costs nothing but storage space, and when one app's English place name is odd, the other often gets it right.

Seoul roadside bus shelter with a digital arrival screen beside a wide avenueMost Seoul bus stops have their own ID number and arrival screen. Photo: MNXANL / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Digital bus stop screen listing route numbers with minutes until arrivalArrival screens match the real-time bus data in Naver Map and KakaoMap. Photo: Wikiwater2020 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0Orange taxi waiting on a downtown Seoul street beside trees and flagsShow the driver your destination in Korean when you can. Photo: Joshua T. Garcia / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

For years, many Naver features needed a Korean phone number. That changed on June 4, 2026. NAVER announced that foreign users can now verify their identity with a passport, and use bookings, orders and payments across NAVER services without a Korean number. NAVER's help page lists what you need:

  • an original, unexpired passport issued by a country other than Korea (no photocopies or screenshots);
  • a phone camera to photograph the passport, followed by a face check;
  • a NAVER account whose name and date of birth match the passport exactly.

The basic steps look like this:

  1. Create a NAVER account and enter your name and date of birth exactly as they appear in your passport.
  2. Open the identity verification option in the app and choose passport verification.
  3. Photograph the photo page of your physical passport in good light.
  4. Complete the face check with your phone's front camera.
  5. Wait for confirmation, then try a booking or saved place to make sure it worked.

You do not need to verify just to look at maps or get directions. It matters if you want to book restaurants, classes or other services inside Naver. Do it at home on Wi-Fi, not in a queue at the airport. If you are still sorting out phone data for the trip, our guide to eSIMs, T-money and arriving at Incheon covers that part.

Narrow hanok alley in Bukchon with a red rosebush over a brick wall at sunriseBukchon's lanes are a good test for walking directions. Photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Quiet Ikseon-dong alley with small hanok buildings and overhead wiresIkseon-dong is a maze of small alleys. Photo: S h y numis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Crowded Euljiro alley at night with people at tables outside small restaurantsEuljiro's night alleys are easier with a Korean app's walking route. Photo: Seoul Tourism Organization / Wikimedia Commons, KOGL Type 1

How to set up your map apps before you land

Fifteen minutes of setup at home makes your first day in Korea much easier. Here is the order we suggest:

  1. Install Naver Map and KakaoMap. Both are free on the App Store and Google Play. Switch Naver Map to English in its settings.
  2. Save your hotel in Korean. Copy the Korean address from your booking confirmation into your notes app, and save the hotel as a favorite in Naver Map.
  3. Pin your first day's places. Add the airport train station, your hotel and two or three sights so you can tap instead of type when you are tired.
  4. Allow location access and notifications. Get-off alerts only work if the app can notify you.
  5. Test a route. Plan the trip from Incheon or Gimpo Airport to your hotel in both apps and compare the times.
  6. Keep Google Maps for reviews and lists. Use it to research, then open the Korean apps to actually get there.

Choosing a hotel near a subway station also makes navigation easier. Our Seoul neighborhoods guide compares the main areas for first-time visitors.

Wide Incheon Airport Terminal 2 arrival hall with travelers and information desksSet up your map apps before you land, or right after arrival. Photo: AirportTerminalGuy / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0AREX sign for Seoul Station with an arrow and line logoAirport trains to Seoul Station show up in every app. Photo: Sean Young (@assanges) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0Hands holding a black smartphone in front of a soft blurred backgroundDownload two apps and save your hotel address in Korean. Photo: sakinshrestha / WordPress Photo Directory, CC0

Street-level tips that save time

Use station numbers and exit numbers

Seoul subway stations have numbers as well as names, shown on platform signs. Large stations also have many numbered exits, and the right exit can save you a long walk. Korean map apps tell you which exit to use. KakaoMap's store listing mentions boarding and exit alerts for the subway.

Search in Korean when English fails

English place names vary. If a search comes up empty, paste the Korean name from the restaurant's sign, a booking page or a friend's message. A Korean address almost always works.

Taxis: show, do not explain

Drivers mostly rely on Korean navigation, so the fastest way to give a destination is to show the Korean address or the place page in Naver Map or KakaoMap. Before you get in, read our tips on avoiding tourist overcharging in Korea.

Check the floor

Many small restaurants and cafés are on the second floor or below ground. Korean addresses often include the floor (for example, 2층 means second floor and 지하 means basement).

White Kia K8 taxi with a roof sign driving on a lit city street at nightTaxi drivers in Korea mostly use Korean navigation apps. Photo: Damian B Oh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Myeongdong shopping street at night with bright neon signs and buildingsBusy shopping streets like Myeongdong are easy to find in any app. Photo: Vishnu Murali / Pexels, Pexels LicenseN Seoul Tower rising above green trees under a clear blue skyN Seoul Tower sits on Namsan, where steep paths make walking routes matter. Photo: yamchhetri / WordPress Photo Directory, CC0

FAQ

Does Google Maps work in South Korea in 2026?

Partly. As of November 2026, it shows places, reviews and public transit routes, but not driving navigation or turn-by-turn walking directions.

Did Korea approve Google Maps in 2026?

Korea gave conditional approval on February 27, 2026, for Google to export 1:5,000-scale map data. The data is only exported after the government confirms the conditions are met, and the app had not added navigation by November 3, 2026.

When will Google Maps navigation launch in Korea?

There is no official date. Google said in August 2026 that it plans turn-by-turn directions. Korean media reported an early 2027 target, but Google has not confirmed it.

Is Naver Map available in English?

Yes. Naver Map supports Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese, including English navigation, according to its Google Play listing.

Do I need a Korean phone number to use Naver?

Not for maps. Since June 4, 2026, foreign visitors can verify a NAVER account with a passport to use bookings, orders and payments without a Korean number.

Naver Map or KakaoMap, which is better?

Both are good. Naver Map has more languages and more users. KakaoMap is popular for buses and walking. Many visitors install both.

Conclusion

Google Maps in Korea is getting closer to the version you know, but as of November 2026 the approval is still a process, not a finished product. For a trip in the coming months, use Google Maps to research and save places, and use Naver Map or KakaoMap to move. Set the apps up at home, save your hotel in Korean, and turn on get-off alerts. If Google switches on navigation in Korea, we will update this guide.

Related posts

This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Google, NAVER, Kakao or any government agency. App features and figures are as of November 3, 2026 and can change.

Sources

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