South Gate in Kaesong is an old gate of a castle in Bukan-dong, Kaesong City.
It was built between 1392 and1393. It was largely repaired in 1899 after frequent repairs but was burnt up and the embankment was also heavily destroyed due to the barbaric bombing of the US imperialists in the Fatherland Liberation War.
It was rehabilitated as it was in 1954 according to the instruction given by President Kim Il Sung to restore different historic relics in the Kaesong region to the original state.
It is composed of embankment built with well-trimmed granites and a gatehouse which is 3 bays (13.63 meters) wide in the front and 2 bays (7.96 meters) wide on the side.
There is an arch-shaped gate on the embankment and the gatehouse has a gable roof with folded-eaves.
In conformity with the form of steady gatehouse, 3-staged ornamental supports were set in front and back of the round pillars which are painted in sober colours. This tells well the old architectural art of castle gate in Korea. Preserved in the gatehouse is Yongbok Temple bell, one of 3 famous bells in Korea.
South Gate in Kaesong is the oldest one among the castle gates remaining in Korea that tells its absolute age.
