DECODING IMAGE

Techniques, apparatus and systems for image decoding are described. A method performed by an image decoding apparatus includes generating motion compensation information and a quantized result of an error image that represents a difference between a current image to be decoded and a prediction image obtained by performing inter prediction on the current image from a bitstream of the current image. A reference image of the current image is received from an external memory unit based on the generated motion compensation information. The method includes restoring the current image based on the received reference image of the current image and the generated quantized result of the error image representing the difference between the current image and the prediction image. Receiving the reference image of the current image is performed while restoring a previous image, and restoring the current image is performed while receiving a reference image of a subsequent image.