Negative ion generation in an inductively coupled oxygen plasma was investigated by using a Langmuir probe. It was observed that the probe current ratio of the positive ion saturation current and the negative current which is consisted of the electron current and the negative ion current, and also the potential difference between the floating potential and plasma potential vary with the RF input power and more sensitively with the operating pressure, respectively. Results show that the operating condition to achieve the maximum probe current ratio and the minimum potential difference shift from the low pressure region to the high pressure regions with increasing the input power. It implies that the generation of the negative oxygen ions increases and the recombination of the positive and negative ions are enhanced in the plasma.