This study was carried out to investigate the changes in composition of the non-volatile organic acid, fatty acid and polyphenolic compounds during air-curing in burley tobacco leaves, and the effect of curing methods on the contents in air-cured leaves. The air-cured variety, (Nicotiana tabacum cv KB108) was normally grown at the Chonju tobacco experiment station in 1998. Plants designated for the each curing methods were harvested on the same date, and the ripe leaves for primed curing were harvested at the tenth leaf position from the top on the stalk. The major compounds of non-volatile organic acid and fatty acid were malic, citric, oxalic, palmitic, and linolenic acid. The concentrations of malic acid, unsaturated fatty acids, chlorogenic acid and rutin in cured leaves were remarkably decreased during curing, while citric acid was increased. The changes of these compounds showed the similar pattern during both primed and stalk curing. In connection with curing methods, the contents of malic, linoleic and linolenic acid were higher in excessive cured leaves than those in primed cured or stalk cured leaves, while the content of citric acid was lower in excessive cured leaves than that in primed cured or stalk cured leaves.