M
API Matrix

Kakao Maps API

Geocoding / API Key Intermediate HTTPS
Varies by plan (check documentation)
82 Score
Grade A
Visit Official Site Compare Alternatives

Overview

Kakao Maps API provides comprehensive mapping services for South Korea, including map display, address search, route calculation, and keyword-based place search. It is the dominant mapping platform in Korea with highly accurate local data. English documentation is available, but the API is primarily designed for Korean-language projects.

💡

Beginner Tip

Create a Kakao developers account at developers.kakao.com and register an application to obtain your REST API key. Be sure to add your service domain to the allowed origins in the app settings to avoid authentication errors.

Available Data

Kakao Maps data via REST API
JSON-formatted response data
Requires API key authentication

Example Response

JSON Response 
{
  "status": "success",
  "data": {
    "result": "Data from Kakao Maps",
    "description": "Kakao Maps provide multiple APIs for Korean maps",
    "timestamp": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

Field Reference

documents List of places or addresses that match the search query.
documents[].place_name Name of the place (in Korean).
documents[].address_name Full road address of the place.
documents[].x Longitude of the place in WGS84 coordinates.
documents[].y Latitude of the place in WGS84 coordinates.
meta.total_count Total number of results found for the query.

Implementation Example 

const url = "https://apis.map.kakao.com/";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
  }
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized The Authorization header is missing or the key format is incorrect.
✓ Include the header as Authorization: KakaoAK YOUR_REST_API_KEY in every request.
403 Forbidden - domain not registered The calling domain is not registered in your Kakao app settings.
✓ Add your domain (e.g. localhost:3000) to the allowed Web platform list in the Kakao developers console.
Empty documents array The search query returned no matching places.
✓ Broaden the search query or use a Korean-language keyword for better coverage in the Korean dataset.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 15/15
🛠 Developer XP 12/20
✓ Reliability 10/15

Partially tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth API Key
HTTPS REQUIRED
CORS UNKNOWN
Category Geocoding
Difficulty Intermediate
Verified: 2026-04-04

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