Myeongjeongmun Gate is located on the way from Honghwamun Gate to the main hall. It served as a middle gate in the form of a pyeongsammun gate, which has three equal-height doors.

Myeongjeongmun Gate was built in 1484, along with the construction of Changgyeonggung Palace. However, it was destroyed during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 and restored during the reign of King Gwanghaegun. The north and south parts of the corridor were demolished to build an amusement park during the Japanese invasion of Korea and were restored to their current appearance in 1986.

Myeongjeongmun Gate has three sections in the front and two at the side. On the rooftop of the gate, there are decorations on the pillars, including some resting birds. Its hipped and gabled roof is called “Paljakjibung” in Korean. The brackets supporting the eaves of the roof are not only set up on the pillars but also between them, which is called Dapo style. Overall, the structure of the building is solid and strong, showing the architectural style of the early Joseon Dynasty.

The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty record the history of the Joseon Dynasty for 519 years including events that took place at Myeongjeongmun Gate. One of the records told us the story about “Yi Gwal’s Rebellion”. King Injo only ascended the throne for two years and took refuge with his royal family through Myeongjeongmun Gate. After he heard the news that a rebel army led by a military believer named Yi Gwal was crossing the Imjingang River and entering the capital, he abandoned the capital and fled away from Myeongjeongmun Gate to Suwon. It was the only case in Joseon history that a king abandoned the capital because of a rebellion by his subjects. The royal family, including King Injo, prepared sedan chairs and horses in front of Myeongjeongmun Gate and left their country. This was the first time King Injo fled the capital during his reign. He later escaped from the capital during the Later Jin invasion of Joseon in 1627 and the Qing invasion of Joseon in 1636.