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Public Toilets around Gwanghwamun & Gyeongbokgung: Stations, the Square and the Palace

The two stations are opposites. At Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) the toilet is inside the fare gates, so you cannot use it without riding the subway; at Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) it is outside the gates on the Exit 7–8 side, open to anyone. There are also open restrooms under Gwanghwamun Square (Haechi Madang and the Sejong Center), while the toilets inside Gyeongbokgung are only reachable once you have entered the palace. Only what Seoul Metro's station toilet data, the palace and National Palace Museum notices and Kakao Map listings confirm is included; where hours could not be confirmed, we say so.

Last checked: 2026-10-07·Desk-researched — not yet verified on site

Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) — inside the gates, 05:00–24:00

Seoul Metro's station toilet data (as of February 2026) puts it inside the fare gates on the B2 concourse, on the Exit 3 side, open 05:00–24:00, and Daum's station information also says inside the gates. So you cannot use it without riding the subway. The men's side has 5 toilets, 5 urinals, 1 accessible stall and 2 children's toilets; the women's side has 11 toilets, 1 accessible stall and 2 children's toilets, plus an emergency bell and a changing table. Kakao Map also lists a Gyeongbokgung Station open restroom, but its hours differ from this data, so the Seoul Metro figures are used here.

Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) — outside the gates, Exits 7–8 side, 05:00–24:00

Seoul Metro's data puts it on the Sejong-side concourse at B1, outside the fare gates, by Exit 7 or 8, open 05:00–24:00, and Daum's station information also says outside the gates. You can walk down and use it without riding the subway. The men's side has 3 toilets, 5 urinals and 1 accessible stall; the women's side 8 toilets and 1 accessible stall. Kakao Map lists it as the Gwanghwamun Station open restroom (underground 172 Sejong-daero).

Under Gwanghwamun Square — Haechi Madang and the Sejong Center, hours unconfirmed

Kakao Map lists open restrooms at Gwanghwamun Haechi Madang, ground floor (175 Sejong-daero, 102m from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 9), at the Story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin on B2 of the Sejong Center (111m from Exit 8), and on the south and north sides of Gwanghwamun Atti on B1 (about 105m from Exit 8). None of the four lists hours. The Story of King Sejong and Story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin exhibitions are open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–18:30 and closed on Mondays per Kakao Map, but whether the restroom there follows the exhibition hours is unconfirmed.

Inside Gyeongbokgung — only once you have entered

Kakao Map lists several toilets inside the palace grounds, all addressed 161 Sajik-ro, including those at Goksuji, Gyeonghoeru and Taewonjeon. From Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 5, Goksuji is 424m, Gyeonghoeru 608m and Taewonjeon 813m. Because they are inside the palace you need a ticket or free entry to reach them, and it is safest to assume they are only open during palace hours. The palace is closed on Tuesdays. The palace's official visitor map also marks toilets, but only as icons on an image, and whether any of them sit outside the ticketed area could not be confirmed from official sources.

Outside the paid area — National Palace Museum and the palace car park

Kakao Map lists open restrooms on floors 1, 2 and B1 of the National Palace Museum's exhibition building (12 Hyoja-ro), 131m from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 5. The museum is free and open 09:30–17:30 Monday to Friday and Sunday and 09:30–21:00 on Saturday, closed on the last Monday of each month (official notice). Whether the restrooms keep the museum's hours is unconfirmed. There is also an open restroom listed by the palace car park, about 450m from Exit 5; the car park runs 06:00–23:00 (official), but the restroom's hours are unconfirmed.

Other open restrooms — hours unconfirmed

Kakao Map also lists open restrooms at the KT Gwanghwamun Building, ground floor (178 Sejong-daero, 57m from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 2), the Sejongno public car park (underground 189 Sejong-daero, 296m from Exit 8), Gwanghwamun Citizens' Open Madang (76-14 Sejong-ro, 393m from Exit 2) and the customer center at Tongin Market in Seochon (18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil, 605m from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2). None of their hours could be confirmed, nor whether the Tongin Market one is usable on days the market is closed. Check the sign at the entrance.

Subway stations — re-entering Gwanghwamun Station is free

Seoul's free re-entry started at 10 minutes in July 2023 and was extended to 15 minutes that October, so if you exit for the toilet and tap back in at the same station within 15 minutes you are not charged a new base fare; the re-entry is processed as one transfer. The rule covers Line 3 between Jichuk and Ogeum and all of Line 5, so both Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun qualify, although at Gyeongbokgung the toilet is inside the gates and you do not need to exit.

Tips

  • None of the Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung restrooms checked here could be confirmed as open 24 hours; both station toilets are open 05:00–24:00. If you will be out late, use the Gwanghwamun Station toilet by Exits 7–8 first.
  • Korea began removing bins from public toilets in January 2018, so used paper goes down the toilet.
  • Korean public toilets usually have paper, but in some it sits in a large dispenser outside the stalls rather than inside — take what you need before you go in. Keep pocket tissues in your bag in case it has run out.

Gwanghwamun & Gyeongbokgung · Places

Gwanghwamun 24-Hour Gamjatang

광화문24시감자탕

A gamjatang (pork-bone stew) and pork-bone soup restaurant at 1F, 42 Jong-ro 3-gil in Cheongjin-dong, 282m from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 2 per Kakao Map. It is open 24 hours every day of the year (Kakao Map and Naver), so you can eat here before dawn or early in the morning. Pork-bone soup, with or without the bone, is ₩12,000, and a small dried-cabbage gamjatang ₩34,000. You order at a kiosk (October 2026 blog).

Not confirmed

Isaac Toast Gwanghwamun

이삭토스트 광화문점

A branch of the Isaac Toast chain at 1F, 5 Sejong-daero 23-gil, 119m from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 9 per Kakao Map, opening at 07:00 on weekdays. Per the Naver menu, a ham and cheese toast is ₩4,500, French ham and cheese ₩5,000, ham special ₩5,100, scrambled ham and cheese ₩5,200 and bacon best ₩5,500. It suits a light breakfast or something to take away instead of a bowl of soup. Kakao Map and Naver agree on the weekday 07:00 opening.

No Korean phone neededWalk-in only

Jeonju Hyundaeok Gwanghwamun

전주현대옥 서울광화문점

A branch of the Jeonju-style bean-sprout soup chain at 1F, 19-1 Saemunan-ro 9-gil, 137m from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 7 per Kakao Map. It opens at 07:00 on weekdays but at 10:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, so it does not work for a weekend breakfast. Nambu Market-style kongnamul gukbap is ₩10,000, spicy pork gukbap ₩12,000, and a poached egg is ₩1,000 extra. Naver lists separate men's and women's toilets, Wi-Fi and takeaway.

Not confirmed

Jeonju Kongnamul Gukbap

전주콩나물국밥

A small bean-sprout soup and soft-tofu stew shop at 1F, 3 Jahamun-ro, 8m from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2 per Kakao Map. It opens at 06:00, well before the palace opens at 09:00. Per the Kakao Map menu, kongnamul gukbap is ₩7,000, the seafood version ₩8,000 and the soft-tofu stews ₩7,500. Kakao Map lists it as "전주콩나물국밥", but the sign and the Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea) listing say "전주콩나물해장국", so look for that name at the door. It is not the shop of the same name in the Le Meilleur building at 19 Jong-ro.

Not confirmed
Sources