Does Google Maps Work in Korea Now?

Install Naver Map before you fly. Google Maps still helps with places and transit in Korea, but we found no 2026 source that says its walking or driving guidance has launched. This page was checked on 11 October 2026. We read the sources below. We did not test the apps on a phone in Korea.

What the 27 February 2026 approval changed

Korea gave Google conditional approval on 27 February 2026 to move 1:5,000 scale map data to servers outside the country. Google had said it needs that map to give walking and driving guidance. Korea had said no in 2007 and 2016.

Note: Approval date: 27 Feb 2026, by a Korean government panel (TechCrunch, 27 Feb 2026; Korean press the same day)

Note: Conditions listed by TechCrunch: data is processed on servers run by Google's Korean partner, military sites are blurred in Google Earth and Street View, coordinates are removed or limited, and Google names a local officer to deal with the government

Note: Not confirmed: the ministry's own press release. We could not open it, so the conditions come from news reports

An approval is a permission. It is not a product launch. TechCrunch said the approval opens the way to walking and real-time driving directions, and it gave no launch date.

What Google Maps does in Korea today

Note: As of 27 Aug 2026, Google Maps in Korea works for place listings, reviews and public transit directions. Turn-by-turn navigation is not available. Google said: "The plan is to bring full-functioning Google Maps capabilities to Korea, which includes turn-by-turn directions" (9to5Google, 27 Aug 2026)

Note: Older report: in May 2025 the Korea Herald said Google Maps walking routes in Seoul showed only rough lines, or the message "Can't find a way there". We did not find a 2026 source that says this has changed

So use Google Maps to check a place, read reviews and see a transit route. Do not rely on it to walk you to a small cafe down an alley. We found no launch date for the rest.

Naver Map, Kakao Map and Google Maps side by side

Note: Sources for the table: Naver's map usage guide (30 Dec 2024), a Korea Herald report (May 2025, updated Aug 2025) for walking details, the Koreabridge guide to Kakao Map (15 Aug 2026), and 9to5Google (27 Aug 2026). The comparison of how well each one works is from travel guides, not from our own test

Naver Map for most trips

Naver Map is the one most guides tell visitors to install first. It shows which subway exit to take, and it has walking routes. Switch it to English in the app settings.

Naver also added passport sign-up for foreign visitors. It lets you book, order and pay inside Naver Map without a Korean phone number.

Note: Naver announced passport authentication on 9 Jun 2026, effective 4 Jun 2026, for Naver Map reservations, orders and payments. It is done on a smartphone with no Korean mobile number (Asiae, 9 Jun 2026)

Note: Limits: the announcement says Naver will add services over time and that language support is still being prepared. Not every restaurant takes foreign bookings. Test the exact booking you need before you travel

Kakao Map as the second app

Kakao Map is a good backup when Naver Map cannot find a place. Search sometimes works better with the Korean name, or with the last digits of the phone number of the place.

Note: Set English in Kakao Map: open the menu, then Settings, then Language. If it does not stick, set your phone language to English and restart the app. The web version is mostly Korean (Koreabridge, 15 Aug 2026)

Note: Offline use works for areas you download first, and how fresh the data is can vary (Koreabridge, 15 Aug 2026)

Kakao T is the taxi app from the same company. It is in English when your phone is set to English. Some place names and driver messages stay in Korean.

Price: Paying in Kakao T with a foreign card: travel sources disagree. One says it works best with a Korean number and card. Another says to pay the driver by cash or card. We found no official Kakao page, so check inside the app

Note: Pick "General Taxi" on the main Kakao T screen. A 10mag guide warns that some foreigner options may default to premium cars, which cost more (10mag, 2026, no exact date shown)

Setup checklist before you fly

1. Install Naver Map and Kakao Map. Switch both to English.

2. Install Kakao T. Set your phone language to English.

3. Try the Naver passport sign-up at home, if you plan to book restaurants. Do it with your own, unexpired passport.

4. Download offline areas in Kakao Map for Seoul and any other city you visit.

5. Save your hotel name in Korean. Ask the hotel to send it, or copy it from its Naver listing.

6. Keep Google Maps for reviews and for checking a transit route.

7. Carry a T-money card and some cash. Taxi drivers may take foreign cards, but not always.

What is checked here and what is not

Checked on 11 October 2026: the date and the conditions of Korea's approval (TechCrunch and Korean press reports), Google's own statement and the status of its Korea service as of 27 August 2026 (9to5Google), Naver's passport sign-up (the Asiae report of 9 June 2026), Naver's English versions (Naver's usage guide), and Kakao Map's language settings (the Koreabridge guide of 15 August 2026).

Not checked: the ministry's own press release, any Google Maps help page that names Korea, whether walking or driving guidance has launched since 27 August 2026, Naver's own help page for passport sign-up, any official Kakao page on foreign cards, and Naver Map's offline rules. We did not install or test any of the apps for this page. Open the apps at home before you trust any step above.