On her first evening in Seoul, Priya typed her guesthouse into Google Maps. It showed a subway route, then a grey line and "walking directions not available." She dragged her suitcase around the same three alleys for twenty minutes.
A convenience store clerk pointed at her phone and said one word: "Naver."
Install Naver Map (네이버 지도) as your everyday app and Kakao Map (카카오맵) as your backup. Both give full walking, transit and driving directions inside Korea; Google Maps still doesn’t, as of October 2026. Most long-term residents keep both, because each one is better at a few things.
Why Google Maps falls short in Korea
Korean law bans exporting detailed government survey map data abroad without permission. Turn-by-turn walking and driving directions depend on that data, so for years Google Maps in Korea could show places and public transport routes, but not walking or driving navigation.
On February 27, 2026, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conditionally approved Google’s request to export 1:5,000-scale map data, with conditions such as blurring military sites and processing data on servers in Korea. Korean media reported that Google aimed to add walking and driving directions later, but as of October 2026 full navigation was not live. Check your app for updates, and don’t count on it yet.
What Google Maps is still fine for:
- Seeing where you are and what’s nearby
- Rough subway and bus routes between two points
- Reviews written in English by other foreigners
- Your saved lists from home
The quick comparison
| Naver Map | Kakao Map | |
|---|---|---|
| English menus | Yes (also Japanese and Chinese) | Yes (Settings → Language) |
| English map labels | Separate English map edition | Partial; some transit info stays Korean |
| Walking and transit directions | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time bus and subway arrivals | Yes | Yes, with live bus positions |
| Search in English | Good for big places and stations | Works, but Korean names work better |
| Saving places | Needs a Naver account | Needs a Kakao account |
| Booking and paying | Naver booking (네이버 예약), passport verification for foreigners since June 2026 | Links to Kakao T for taxis |
| Reviews | Naver reviews, often auto-translated | Kakao reviews, mostly Korean |
Naver Map: your default
Naver says its app has Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese map editions and English navigation. On Android, change the language from the profile icon (top right) → settings gear → Language. On an iPhone, if you can’t find it in the app, go to the phone’s Settings → NAVER Map → Language.
Naver Map is strongest for:
- Transit routes. Each route shows total time, transfers, walking time and the subway exit number (출구) to use. At big stations like Gangnam or Seoul Station, the right exit can save you ten minutes.
- Real-time arrivals. Tap a bus stop or a station to see live countdowns. Boarding and alighting alerts (승하차 알림) tell you when your stop is close.
- Place pages. Opening hours, menus with photos, and reviews. Naver says reviews from its Npay Connect terminals are translated into English, Chinese and Japanese on the map.
- Booking. Many restaurants, hair salons and clinics take bookings through Naver. Since June 4, 2026, foreigners can verify with a passport instead of a Korean phone number to book, order and pay in Naver Map.
If you live here, a Naver account with your Korean phone number is still the smoothest setup. If verification fails, it's almost always your phone line. See why Korean sign-ups fail.
Kakao Map: the backup that’s better at buses
Kakao Map has an English setting (Settings → App settings → Language). Menus switch to English, but station names, route details and reviews may still show in Korean.
Where Kakao Map shines:
- Live bus positions. You can watch where each bus is on the route, not just a countdown. Handy for buses that run every 15 minutes or more.
- Kakao T. Kakao Map belongs to the same family as Kakao T, so you can hand off from the map to the taxi app. More in our taxi app guide.
- A second opinion. When Naver can’t find a small shop or new café, Kakao often can, and vice versa.
Searching: English vs Korean
English search works for big landmarks, subway stations, hotels and chains. It often fails for small restaurants, clinics, apartment buildings and offices, because their names exist only in Korean.
The fix is to search in Korean without typing Korean:
- Copy the Korean address from a booking email, a website, a KakaoTalk message or your rental contract, and paste it in. Road-name addresses (도로명주소), such as “세종대로 110”, work best.
- Ask for a link. A Naver or Kakao Map link from a Korean friend or landlord opens straight to the place.
- Use the apartment complex name if the address lands in the wrong building.
- Use Papago’s camera on a sign or business card, then copy the Korean text. See our Papago tips.
Typing "Hongdae noodle shop" and scrolling through 40 results, half of them closed.
Copying "서울 마포구 와우산로 ..." from the shop's Instagram and pasting it. One result, right door.
Saving places
Both apps save places only when you’re logged in. Saved lists sync across devices, so you can plan on your laptop and walk with your phone. Make folders such as “Clinics”, “Immigration” and “Weekend food”. It also helps when you need to show a taxi driver where you’re going: open the saved place and show the screen.
Taxis, delivery and other links
- Taxi: show the driver the place page, or book in Kakao T from Kakao Map. Drivers rarely recognize romanized names.
- Sharing: both apps make a link you can send by KakaoTalk or text. Send it to delivery riders, friends or your landlord.
- Food delivery works off the same Korean address. Our delivery guide shows how to enter it.
Offline and data
Route search and live arrivals need a data connection. Before a trip somewhere with weak signal, such as a hiking trail or an island, search your route while connected and take screenshots of the key steps and the exit number. A cheap Korean data plan makes all of this easier; see our phone plan guide.
Priya now pastes every address into Naver Map, checks the exit number before she gets off the train, and keeps Kakao Map for the late-night bus home, where she can see exactly when it's two stops away.
Common questions
Does Google Maps work in Korea now?
Partly. It shows places and public transport routes, but as of October 2026 walking and driving navigation were not available, even after the government’s conditional approval in February 2026. Use Naver or Kakao for getting around.
Do I need a Korean phone number for Naver Map?
No. You can search and get directions without an account. To save places you need a Naver account. To book or pay without a Korean number, Naver added passport verification for foreigners in June 2026.
Which app is better for driving?
Both offer car navigation. Many drivers also use Kakao Navi or T map. Pick whichever one’s voice and layout you find clearer.
Why does the English map still show Korean?
Business names, small streets and reviews are often only in Korean. Switching the language changes menus and main labels, not what businesses wrote. Copy the Korean text and use Papago when you need it.
Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decision of February 27, 2026 (via korea.kr and Reuters); NAVER Corp. press release on passport verification, June 9, 2026; Naver Map App Store listing; Kakao Map help (DevTalk).
All the apps we recommend for life in Korea: essential apps guide.
Written from the laws and official notices in force on the date above. Rules change and every case is different, so check with the office named in the article before an important decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.