# AI recommends Google Maps for driving or walking navigation in South Korea

- **ID:** `communication/google-maps-navigation-limited`
- **Domain:** communication
- **Category:** navigation
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 95%

## Root Cause

High-precision map data export is restricted in South Korea, so Google Maps cannot provide reliable driving/walking navigation there. Koreans use Naver Map and Kakao Map (both with English interfaces). A conditional export approval in early 2026 has not yet restored full Google navigation.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| any | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Install Naver Map or Kakao Map before the trip and switch the interface to English** (90% success)
   ```
   Naver Map supports English, Chinese and Japanese; Kakao Map supports English. Both provide accurate driving, transit and walking navigation plus real-time traffic; Kakao T or Uber handle taxi hailing.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **Rely on Google Maps for turn-by-turn driving or walking routes in Korea** — Korea's official tourism guidance states Google Maps GPS navigation cannot be used in Korea: security-driven restrictions on exporting 1:5,000 map data leave Google without routable local data, so driving, walking and many transit results are missing or wrong. (80% fail)