AbstractsTo increase the quality of Korean traditional yakju, we prepared seed cultures by fermentation at 20 o C for 2 days after addition of 140% water, 3% nuruk and 1.5% yeast into cooked rice. After the 200% cooked rice, 120% water and 0.08% commercial saccharifying enzyme were added to seed cultures and fermented for 2 days at 20 o C, wild ginseng was added and then further fermented for 5 days. Physicochemical properties of traditional yakju were investigated. Ethanol was produced (18.5%) by the addition of 1.2% wild ginseng. However, ethanol content was not increased by addition of microwave treated-wild ginseng and rice (either cooked rice or raw). The traditional yakju obtained by fermentation at 20 o C for 5 days, after 90 sec of microwave treated-wild ginseng was added into main fermentation broth, showed good total acceptability and also contained 791 ppm saponin.