To elucidate the effect of chitin and chitosan on the production of ginsenosides and growth, ginseng hairy root was cultured on the 1/2 MS medium supplemented with chitin and chitosan of various concentrations and culture period. The highest growth was obtained with 1 mg/L of chitin. However, the growth was inhibited by 20 mg/L or above. The contents and productivity of ginsenosides were the highest when ginseng hairy roots were cultured on 40 mg/L chitin and applied of the third-weeks of culture period. Ginseng hairy root culture with 1 mg/L of chitosan resulted in the best growth, but the highest ginsenosides level was appeared in 30 mg/L chitosan. Ginsenosides content was increased when it was treated at the forth-week after culture as 30 mg/L of chitosan.