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Hi, I’m SeoulAslanNaver Map vs Kakao Map vs Google Maps in Korea (2026)
Checked Sept 29, 2026
Use Naver Map as your main app, KakaoMap as the backup, and Google Maps only for saving places. Naver Map and KakaoMap both run in English and give you walking, transit and driving directions. Google Maps still can't give walking or driving directions in Korea as of Sept 29, 2026. It shows transit routes, with the walking parts drawn as a dotted line.
The government approved Google's request to take detailed map data abroad on February 27, 2026. Google says it plans to bring full directions to Korea, but it hasn't launched them or given a date.
Foreigners seem to look for Korean restaurants mostly on TripAdvisor or other apps. One thing I noticed in Vietnam: whenever I went to a place with good TripAdvisor reviews, it was always full of foreigners. The real local places are tucked away in a corner, a bit scruffy.
Jump to: Does Google Maps work? · Why Google is limited · Naver Map · KakaoMap · Finding food · Offline · Taxis · FAQ
Does Google Maps work in Korea in 2026?
Partly. As of September 29, 2026, Google Maps in Korea shows places, reviews and public transit directions. It does not give turn-by-turn walking or driving directions. In a transit route, the walk from the station to your door is just a dotted line.
That's the part that gets visitors lost. The last few hundred metres, which exit to take and which side of a wide road you need, is where Naver Map and KakaoMap are much better.
Google Maps is still worth having for two things: saving places before your trip, and reading reviews in your own language. Then open the same place in Naver Map to get there.
Why is Google Maps limited in Korea, and will that change?
Korea doesn't let detailed map data leave the country without permission, for security reasons. Google asked in 2007 and in 2016, and was turned down both times.
On February 27, 2026, a government committee said yes, with conditions:
- Military and security sites must be blurred in Google Maps, Google Earth and Street View.
- Coordinates for places in Korea must not be shown.
- The data is processed on servers in Korea run by a Korean partner.
- Only the basic map and road network needed for directions can go abroad, not details such as contour lines.
- Google must keep a map manager in Korea, and the government can suspend or cancel the permit.
Approval isn't the same as launch. In late August 2026, Google was hiring in Seoul and said it plans to bring full-featured Google Maps, including turn-by-turn directions, to Korea. No date was given. If you're travelling soon, plan without it, and test a route on your own phone before you fly.
How do I use Naver Map in English?
Naver Map (네이버 지도) is the app most Koreans use. It runs in English, Chinese and Japanese as well as Korean. You switch the language in the app's settings.
- Directions: walking, public transport and driving.
- Live transit: real-time bus and subway arrivals, and an alert when it's time to get off.
- Avoid stairs: since August 2025, transit directions can send you through entrances with elevators. Naver says this works in English too.
- Reviews: since December 2024, visitor reviews and place filters are translated.
- Account: if you want one to save places, Naver now lets you sign up with a passport.
Search tip: if an English search doesn't find the place, copy and paste its Korean name. That's the surest match.
Is KakaoMap good for foreigners?
Yes, as a second app. KakaoMap (카카오맵) runs in English and Korean. It gives car, transit, walking and bicycle directions, bus arrival alerts and subway get-off reminders. It also has Road View, a street-level view you can use to see an entrance before you arrive.
One thing only KakaoMap does: a September 2026 update shows ferry locations live, with their routes. That's handy for the Han River Bus, which can run late or stop in bad weather.
Use it when Naver can't find a place, or to double-check a route.
Which app should I use to find restaurants?
You have to go past Google Maps and TripAdvisor and use the country's own app. In Korea, that means Naver Map.
Still, don't trust one app's stars. When I look for a place to eat, I check the ratings on Tmap, Naver Map and Google Maps together. Marketing on Naver is so well done that even places with truly bad food can have high ratings.
So compare at least two apps, read a few recent reviews rather than the score, and look at photos from visitors, not only the restaurant's own.
Do these map apps work offline in Korea?
Don't count on it. Users report that Google Maps' offline download doesn't work for Korea. I couldn't confirm that Naver Map or KakaoMap offer a full offline mode for visitors.
Plan on mobile data. An eSIM or a Korean SIM also helps with other Korean apps. Seoul's bike-share app, for example, has told users that it blocks connections from overseas networks.
Can I call a taxi from these map apps?
Use a taxi app for that. Koreans call taxis with Kakao T, a separate app. Uber also works in Korea for licensed taxis, and Kakao runs an English app for foreigners called k.ride.
I compared them, with fares and payment, in Can you use Uber in Korea? If you'd rather ride the subway, start with which card works on Seoul transit.
FAQ
Does Google Maps work in Korea in 2026?
For places, reviews and transit routes, yes. For walking or driving directions, no, as of September 29, 2026. Google has not given a launch date.
Is Google Maps getting walking directions in Korea?
Google says it plans to, after the February 27, 2026 approval. It hasn't said when.
Naver Map or KakaoMap: which is better for tourists?
Naver Map, for its English, Chinese and Japanese menus, translated reviews and avoid-stairs routing. Keep KakaoMap as a backup.
Can I sign up for Naver without a Korean phone number?
Naver's App Store listing says you can now sign up with a passport.
Do I need Wi-Fi or data for map apps in Korea?
Plan on data. Offline use isn't something you can rely on.
Things I could not confirm:
- A launch date for Google Maps walking and driving directions in Korea. None had been announced by Sept 29, 2026. I'll update this post when it happens.
- Whether Naver Map or KakaoMap have an offline mode that works for visitors.
- Whether Google Maps gives get-off alerts or live arrival times in Korea today.
- The exact menu path to switch Naver Map to English in the current version.
- Whether KakaoMap has an avoid-stairs option like Naver's.
I remember feeling really sorry when I saw foreigners in a terrible place, thinking they'd found a great one. Check more than one app, and you won't be one of them.
Sources
- Byline Network on the Feb 27, 2026 approval and its conditions: byline.network
- The Korea Herald, "Google builds Korea team for full-functioning Maps service" (Aug 25, 2026): koreaherald.com
- 9to5Google on Google's plan for turn-by-turn directions in Korea (Aug 27, 2026): 9to5google.com
- Google Korea blog, Q&A on map data export (Aug 5, 2025): blog.google
- NAVER press release on multilingual Naver Map (Dec 30, 2024): navercorp.com
- Asia Economy on Naver Map's avoid-stairs routing (Aug 1, 2025): asiae.co.kr
- NAVER Map, App Store listing (passport sign-up, languages): apps.apple.com
- KakaoMap, App Store listing (version 6.29, live ferry locations): apps.apple.com
- Seoul Bike (따릉이) app, developer reply about overseas networks: apps.apple.com
- Google Maps help community, "Drive and walk options not available in South Korea": support.google.com
— SeoulAslan
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