Limited information is available on the acceptability of Korean MRLs(maximum residue limits) and the health risk based on the pesticide exposure by food intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate TMDI(theoretical maximum daily intake) and EDI(estimated daily intake) for Korean by using MRLs, food intake, residue data, and correction factors, and compare with ADI(acceptable daily intake) in order to estimate the health risk based on the pesticide exposure. The study was performed in three steps. In the frist step, the residual pesticides in each category of food were investigated using the pesticide residue analytical data(1995-96) from officially approved organizations and the analytical data for poultry was adopted from Korean food code method. In the second step, TMDI was estimated from MRLs and food factors, and was compared with ADI. In the third step, the effectiveness of each culinary treatment (washing, peeling, steaming, boiling, and salting) was evaluated and EDI was calculated using pesticide residue data, food factor, and correction factor by treatment. TMDI obtained from MRLs and food intake, and food intake was summed as 1,100.99 g, which was 79.1% of total consumption. The percent ratio of TMDI to ADI for 156 pesticides was mostly below 80% and only 30 pesticides exceeded the ADI. In particular, non-treated EDI from pesticide residue data and food intake was summed up to about 43 $mu extrm{g}$/day/capita, and the rank was procymidone(8.6 $mu extrm{g}$) > maleic hydrazide(8.2 $mu extrm{g}$) > EPN(3.7 $mu extrm{g}$) > deltamethrin(3.5 $mu extrm{g}$) > cypermethrin(3.0 $mu extrm{g}$). The treated EDI calculated from pesticide residue data, food intake, and correction factor by culinary treatment was summed up to 13.7 $mu extrm{g}$/day/captia. The percentage of ADI was TMDI(79.74%) > non-treated EDI (0.17%) > treated EDI (0.04%), and the exposure level of Korean population to whole pesticides was below the level to produce health risk. Oncogenic risk of five pesticides used in Korea whose oncogenic potency(Q*) was known were assessed from TMDI and treated EDI. Dietary oncogenic risk for Korean was estimated to be 2.0$ imes$10-3 on the basis of TMDI, 8.3$ imes$10-7 on the basis of treated EDI. The oncogenic risk from TMDI exceeded the risk level(1$ imes$10-6) of EPA, whereas the oncogenic risk from treated EDI and real exposure level lower than that of EPA.