A method and device for generating and decoding an image code without a direction finder pattern are provided. In the method of generating an image code, a two-dimensional image is generated by encoding the configured basic information and the error correction information, and disposing the encoded basic and error correction information in predetermined regions, respectively. It is determined whether the two-dimensional image can be decoded for directions which are different from a basic direction of the two-dimensional image, respectively, and the two-dimensional image is output as a physical or electronic image code when a result from decoding for the directions which are different from the basic direction of the two-dimensional image is the same as a decoding result for the basic direction, or when decoding cannot be performed for a direction which is different from the basic direction. In the method of decoding an image code, a physically or electronically represented image code is received as an input, and a decoding result for a direction for which the decoding result has the least number of errors from among the results decoded for each direction is output. Accordingly, a direction of an image code can be detected without any overhead or with a minimal overhead.