In order to improve the quality of traditional kochujang, condiments like garlic and onion were added to kochujang and their effect on microbial characteristics, enzyme activities and taste components were investigated during fermentation. Viable cells of yeasts in the kochujang decreased with the increasing ratio of garlic. However, aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts did not show any remarkable differences in the garlic or onion added kochujang, they decreased slowly after $6{sim}10$ weeks of fermentation. The activity of liquefying amylase in kochujang decreased slowly during $2{sim}10$ weeks of fermentation, but that of saccharifying amylase increased remarkably at $14{sim}18$ weeks. Amylase activities increased at the late period of fermentation in garlic or onion added kochujang. Protease activities of kochujang were strong in the middle of fermentation, but they decreased by addition of garlic or onion. The major free sugars in kochujang were glucose and fructose, and their contents increased as the ratio of garlic increased. The major organic acids in kochujang were succinic, malic and oxalic acid, and they also decreased by addition of garlic and onion. The contents of total free amino acids and amino nitrogen were the highest in 2% garlic added kochujang. The major free amino acid were glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, alanine, leucine, isoleucine and arginine. Serine, glutamic acid, lysine and arginine contents in increased by adding garlic or onion.