[2] It is now an urban-rural complex similar to 53 other small and medium-sized cities with a population under 300,000 people in South Korea.

[3][4] The Mungyeong area is believed to have been controlled by a mixture of Jinhan and Byeonhan states during the Samhan period in the first centuries of the Common Era.

Capitalizing on the territory's strategic potential, Silla set up various mountain fortresses in the area to control movement in and out of western Korea.

Control of transit through the area would have gained even greater importance after Silla's 553 seizure of the Han River valley on the western side of the mountains.

As Silla reorganized its administrative structure under King Seongdeok in 757, the Mungyeong area was placed under the province of Sangju, and divided among various hyeon, or local districts.

During this Unified Silla period the temple of Gwaneumsa, of which all but a few traces have vanished, was constructed near Haneuljae in present-day Mungyeong-eup.

Beginning in the 18th century, gates were erected on the road to control traffic and protect travelers from brigandage.

However, the pace of resource extraction did not accelerate greatly until the post-war period, under the first South Korean government led by Syngman Rhee.

Local self-governance was established in the early years of the Republic of Korea, but abruptly cancelled following the military coup of 1961.

The southern extremity lies in Nongam-myeon, at 36°41'40'' N. The easternmost edge of the city can also be found in Dongno-myeon, at 128°22'42'' E longitude.

Within North Gyeongsang province, Mungyeong adjoins Yecheon County to the east and Sangju to the south.

The city's highest point lies on this line, at 1161-meter Munsu peak of Worak Mountain in Dongno-myeon.

Millions of years of erosion have created spectacular cliffs and escarpments in many areas, some of which have become major attractions for local tourism.

Located in the shadow of the Sobaek mountains and west of the Taebaek Mountains, Mungyeong has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dwa), but can be considered a borderline humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cwa) using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm.

There are roughly 90 days of heavy rain per year, of which about 30 fall during the monsoonal rainy season in July and August.

The current mayor of Mungyeong is Shin Hyun-Kook (신현국), who prevailing in the local elections of July 1, 2022.

[8] The head of the Mungyeong city council is Lee Jeonggeol (이정걸), who was elected from Ra constituency (Hogye, Jeomchon 1 and 3 dong).

The population of Mungyeong continues to fall,[11] as more people move away to major urban centers such as Daegu and Seoul.

Although the city overall is losing population, there continues to be a considerable expansion in construction in the urban center of Jeomchon.

However, these mines were closed in the 1980s, and since then the municipal government has focused on developing tourism, agriculture and light industry in the region.

Some local produce is sold directly in the area, but most is exported to major urban centers on South Korea.

The local government has set up various institutions to promote agricultural and industrial development, including "agro-industrial complexes" located around the rural districts.

Six of the myeon, or townships, form an L, with its bottom in the southeast near the confluence of the Yeong and Nakdong rivers: Yeongsun-myeon, Sanyang-myeon, Maseong-myeon, Hogye-myeon, Sanbuk-myeon and Dongno-myeon.

Various literary figures of the Joseon period hailed from Mungyeong, as did heroes of the resistance against Japanese attacks in the late 16th century (the local commander Sin Gil-won, 1548–1592) and of the righteous army movement in the early 20th (the leader I Gang-nyeon, 1858–1908).

Additional local tourist attractions include spas, a shooting range, a paragliding area, and the Gyeongcheon Lake reservoir in the east.

[12][13] 2015 Mungyeong Military World Games (세계 군인 체육 대회; 世界軍人體育大會) In October 2015, competitions were held in various parts of North Gyeongsang Province.

The Gyeongbuk Line carries three to five passenger trains a day in each direction, in addition to significant freight traffic.

However, the most intensely promoted art form in the district is Mungyeong's traditional ceramic craft, which dates to the Joseon period and is still practiced by many master potters in the area.

As elsewhere in South Korea, Christianity coexists with Korean Buddhism and shamanism, and a large segment of the population professes no religious belief.

The city stadium in Jeomchon hosts public athletic competitions, and in addition, numerous private establishments such as batting cages can be found in the area.