According to an August 2026 report, Google Maps in Korea showed places and public transit routes, but not turn-by-turn walking or driving directions.[7] The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) says the navigation (GPS) feature of Google Maps cannot be used in Korea.[4] This guide explains what works, what Korean law and Google each say about why, and which app to install before you fly.
We read the law, the government’s announcement and Google’s own explanation, and checked a Google Maps route search, on October 31, 2026, and rechecked them on November 1, 2026 (how we research). This may change, so treat the details below as true as of the dates we give.
What works and what doesn’t
The Korea Herald reported on August 25, 2026, that Google Maps in Korea offers place listings, reviews and public transit directions, but not turn-by-turn driving or walking navigation.[7] It added that the walking parts of a transit route show up only as dotted lines, not guided directions.[7]
When we searched Google Maps on October 31, 2026, it still returned bus routes from Seoul Station to Myeong-dong.[6] KTO’s driving page, cited at the top of this guide, was last updated in October 2025.[4]
For bus and subway trips, see how to choose and load a transit card.
Why: what Korean law says, and what Google says
Under Article 16 of Korea’s spatial information law, no one may take maps or survey photos from the country’s national base surveys abroad without the land minister’s permission, apart from limited cases set by presidential decree, such as exchanges with foreign governments.[1] Where national security is involved, the data can leave only if a council of government bodies, including the defense and foreign ministries and the National Intelligence Service, decides to allow it.[1] The council must include at least one private expert.[1]
Google says this is where directions get stuck. In 2025, Google said the Google Maps it offers in Korea was built on 1:5,000-scale map data bought from SK T map, a Korean company, and that what it offers with that data is a simple map display, not what Google calls its directions feature.[3] Working out a route, Google says, needs the computing power of its data centers spread around the world, so it has to apply for permission to take the data out of Korea.[3]
That technical explanation is Google’s. The government’s announcement doesn’t explain why directions are missing. It sets out the rule and the conditions for an exception, which are below.[2]
February 2026: a yes, with conditions
On February 27, 2026, Korea’s land ministry said a council of nine government bodies and private experts had approved Google’s request to take 1:5,000-scale map data abroad, provided Google met strict security conditions.[2]
The conditions include security processing of satellite and aerial images, masking military and security sites in Google Earth’s past images and Street View, limits on showing coordinates, and using servers in Korea.[2] Only the minimum information needed to run navigation and route-finding services can leave the country, and sensitive data such as contour lines is excluded.[2]
The ministry said the government would check for itself that Google had met the conditions before allowing the data out, and could suspend or withdraw the permission for continued failures or serious violations.[2] On October 23, 2026, the land minister told lawmakers that the ministry plans to verify and confirm the conditions before the export goes ahead, according to Yonhap News Agency.[8]
Google told the Korea Herald in August 2026 that “the plan is to bring full-functioning Google Maps capabilities to Korea, which includes turn-by-turn directions, or navigation,” but it gave no launch date.[7] We don’t know when walking or driving directions will appear, so plan to use another app until they do.
What to install before you fly
KTO names two map apps that do offer navigation: Naver Map, which works in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, and Kakao Map, which works in Korean and English.[4] Both can be downloaded from smartphone app stores.[4] KTO’s May 2026 list of essential travel apps also includes NAVER Maps for finding routes.[5]
We don’t rank the two. Our suggestion is to install one at home, switch it to English, and search for your hotel once while you’re still on Wi-Fi, so you aren’t learning a new app at arrivals. Google Maps still showed transit routes when we checked, so there’s no need to delete it.[6] If you land without mobile data, start with which eSIM to get for Korea.
Good to know
| In Korea | Google Maps |
|---|---|
| Places and reviews | Shown (Korea Herald, Aug 2026)[7] |
| Bus and subway routes | Shown (Korea Herald, Aug 2026)[7]; bus routes in our search (Oct 31, 2026)[6] |
| Turn-by-turn walking directions | Not available (Korea Herald, Aug 2026)[7] |
| Driving navigation | Not available (KTO; Korea Herald, Aug 2026)[4][7] |
Three minutes before you fly:
- Install Naver Map or Kakao Map.[4]
- Switch it to English and search for your hotel once.
- Screenshot your hotel’s address, in Korean if you can, in case you’re offline when you land.
For more on your first days in the city, see Arriving in Seoul. For another everyday puzzle, read why Korean cafes confuse first-time visitors.
