Google is building a dedicated team in South Korea to launch a fully functional version of Google Maps. The company is currently hiring a senior partnerships manager in Seoul to collaborate with local private and public entities. This initiative follows the South Korean government's February 2026 decision to conditionally approve the export of high-precision map data.
National security laws previously restricted mapping data exports, which limited Google Maps to basic features and prevented driving or walking navigation. The new regulatory approval requires Google to blur sensitive sites to comply with security conditions.
Google confirmed that turn-by-turn navigation is a primary component of its expansion plan. Although the company has not announced a specific launch date, the move establishes direct competition with dominant local services Naver and Kakao.