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Naver Map vs KakaoMap: Finding Your Way in Korea (2026)

Checked against official sources on October 20, 2026

Stairs down to Exit 6 of Daechi Station on Seoul Subway Line 3

Photo: LERK, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Seoul-metro-345-Daechi-station-entrance-6-20181123-153032.jpg

Summary

Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for walking and public transit directions in Korea. Naver Map offers Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese map labels; KakaoMap's app lists Korean and English. Google Maps still finds places, but as of October 2026 we couldn't confirm full walking or driving directions. Korea gave Google conditional permission to export map data in February 2026.

At a glance

Best for
Naver Map or KakaoMap
Naver labels
Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese
Kakao app
Korean, English
Google Maps
Place search; navigation unconfirmed
Cost
Free

Step by step

How to use Naver Map and KakaoMap in Korea

Step 1 of 6 · Set the language

1Set the map language

Find the language option in Settings

Read all steps as text

  1. 1. Set the map language

    Find the language option in Settings

  2. 3. Paste the Korean name

    Paste the Korean name into the search bar

    Korean you will see: 예시 호텔 대치 = Hotel name in Korean (fictional)

  3. 4. Tap 길찾기

    Tap 길찾기 (Directions)

    Korean you will see: 길찾기 = Directions

  4. 5. Read the route card

    Tap one: line, boarding stop, transfer, get-off

    Korean you will see: 6번 출구 = Exit 6

  5. 6. Turn on alerts and save

    Turn on boarding and get-off alerts if offered

    Korean you will see: 저장 = Save

Korean for this

  • 여기 어떻게 가요?

    yeogi eotteoke gayo?

    How do I get here?

  • 여기가 어디예요?

    yeogiga eodiyeyo?

    Where am I?

  • 지도로 보여 주세요

    jidoro boyeo juseyo

    Please show me on the map

  • 길을 잃었어요

    gireul ireosseoyo

    I'm lost

All Korean phrases

Details

In most countries Google Maps does everything. In Korea it finds places well but has long been weak on walking and driving directions. Korea's two local map apps fill that gap. This guide shows you how to set them up and read a route.

Before you start

  • Install both apps before you fly. Naver Map and KakaoMap are both listed on the US App Store, so you don't need a Korean store account to download them.
  • Get mobile data. Live bus times and routes need a connection. See eSIM, SIM or pocket Wi-Fi.
  • Collect Korean names. For every place you plan to visit, save the Korean name or address. Pasting Korean text is the most reliable way to search.

Why Google Maps falls short

Korea's Spatial Data Act (Article 16) restricts taking survey data, including detailed maps, out of the country without government permission. Google's routing runs on servers abroad, so for years it couldn't use Korea's detailed road data for walking or driving directions.

On 27 February 2026, the government granted conditional permission for Google to export 1:5,000-scale map data. The conditions include security processing of imagery, limits on how coordinates are displayed, and use of domestic servers. Officials said the work could take six months or more. On 20 October 2026, we couldn't confirm that full walking and driving navigation is live. Test it in the app, and keep a local app ready.

Google Maps is still useful for your saved lists and reviews from other travelers.

Naver Map and KakaoMap compared

Naver Map KakaoMap
App languages (store listing) English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese English, Korean
Map labels Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese; English navigation Not stated
Public transit routes Yes, with real-time arrival information and get-on/get-off alerts Yes, with real-time bus information and subway boarding and exit alerts
Walking Turn-by-turn walking directions (도보 길안내dobo giranneWalking guidance), added in 2026 Walking routes in route search
Saving places 저장jeojangSave tab; share saved places 즐겨찾기jeulgyeochatgiFavorites groups and folders
Account Naver sign-up now supports passport verification Friend location sharing works with KakaoTalk friends
Cost Free Free

Both apps update often. Try both on your first day, then keep whichever reads more clearly to you.

Step by step

KoreaStep isn't affiliated with Naver, Kakao or Google. Screen names below come from each app's official store listing as of October 2026 and can change between versions.

Step 1 — Set the language

Naver Map offers English, Japanese and Chinese map labels as well as Korean. Look for the language option in the app's settings. KakaoMap lists English among its app languages. If it opens in Korean, check your phone's language settings.

Step 2 — Learn the home screen

Naver Map's home screen has one search bar at the top. Along the bottom are five tabs: 발견balgyeonDiscover, 예약yeyakBooking, 대중교통daejung gyotongTransit, 내비게이션naebigeisyeonNavigation and 저장jeojangSaved. The English listing calls the last tab "Bookmark" and also mentions a "MY" tab.

Step 3 — Search the place

Paste the Korean name into the search bar. Naver Map's single search bar also finds bus numbers, subway stations and addresses. If a name gives no result, search the address or the nearest subway station instead.

Step 4 — Get directions

Tap 길찾기gilchatgiDirections. Set 출발chulbalFrom and 도착dochakTo. Your current location is usually suggested as the starting point, and you can swap the two. Choose 대중교통daejung gyotongPublic transit for subway and bus, or 도보doboWalk for walking.

Step 5 — Read the route card

Each transit option shows the total travel time. Tap one to see each leg: the line or bus number, the station or stop to board, where to transfer, and where to get off. In stations, follow the numbered 출구chulguExit signs toward the exit closest to your destination.

Step 6 — Follow it live and save the place

Turn on boarding and get-off alerts if the app offers them. Save places you'll return to, such as your hotel, so they're one tap away. Take a screenshot of the route before you go underground, in case the signal drops.

Common problems

Search returns nothing. Typing an English spelling of a Korean name often fails. Paste the Korean text, or search the address or the nearest station.

Two pins with the same name. Chains and stations have many branches. Check the district name or address under each result.

The bus time in the app differs from the stop board. They update separately. Allow a minute or two either way.

You're walking the wrong way out of a station. Check the exit number in the route card again, and find the matching yellow exit sign.

Reviews and menus are in Korean. The app interface may be in English, but much of the content inside listings stays in Korean. Use Papago to translate a menu photo.

Questions and answers

Does Google Maps work in Korea now?

Partly. Place search and saved lists work. After the February 2026 conditional approval, Google still had to meet the conditions, and we couldn't confirm full walking and driving navigation on 20 October 2026. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for directions.

Which app is better, Naver Map or KakaoMap?

Neither wins everywhere. Naver Map has more interface languages (Korean, English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese) and added turn-by-turn walking directions in 2026. KakaoMap's listing highlights real-time bus information and its subway map. Try both.

Do I need a Korean phone number?

Not to search or get directions. Saving places may ask you to log in. Naver's sign-up now supports passport verification.

Can I use the apps offline?

Their store listings don't promise offline maps. Screenshot your route and your hotel's Korean address before you lose signal.

Do the apps show which subway exit to use?

The route details tell you where to get off and how to walk from there. Use the exit number together with the walking leg, and match it to the numbered signs in the station. See the Seoul subway guide.

Official sources (8)

Last checked October 20, 2026Next check due January 18, 2027

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

Next stepKTX and Trains in Korea: Booking, Stations and Fares (2026)

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