Mungyeong Saejae

Mungyeong Saejae
Korean name
Hangul	문경새재
Hanja	聞慶새재
Revised Romanization	Mungyeong Saejae
McCune–Reischauer	Mun'gyŏng Saejae

Mungyeong Saejae (

East Sea (Sea of Japan) at Busan. Runoff from the Goesan side eventually flows into the Han River, which passes through Seoul to meet the Yellow Sea at Incheon

.

The pass is also known by the name Joryeong (Korean: 조령; Hanja: 鳥嶺). Both names literally mean "bird pass," and probably signify "a pass so high that even birds find the crossing difficult."

The pass is renowned as the only place where the old

Joseon Dynasty. On June 4, 1981, the area around the Mungyeong side of the pass was declared Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park, which is now a significant tourist attraction. In addition to the pass and the surrounding scenery, the park boasts a museum

and tourist hotel, along with a small village of businesses catering to the tourist trade.

During the Joseon period, Mungyeong Saejae played an important role as the gateway in and out of the

Gyeongsang province. Scholars, traders and government officials from Gyeongsang had to go through the pass when going to or from Seoul. Three great gates which maintained control over the pass during that time still stand, although the only people who go through them now are tourists

.

Mungyeong Saejae is the subject of at least one traditional Korean folksong in the arirang style.