Provided are a video decoding method and apparatus for, in a video encoding and decoding procedure, when a merge candidate list of a current block is configured, determining whether the number of merge candidates included in the merge candidate list is greater than 1 and is smaller than a predetermined maximum merge candidate number, when the number of the merge candidates included in the merge candidate list is greater than 1 and is smaller than the predetermined maximum merge candidate number, determining an additional merge candidate by using a first merge candidate and a second merge candidate of the merge candidate list of the current block, configuring the merge candidate list by adding the determined additional merge candidate to the merge candidate list, and performing prediction on the current block, based on the merge candidate list.