This study analyzes time variability of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the leaf area index (LAI) and surface temperature (Ts) estimated from AVHRR data collected from across the Korean peninsula from 1981 to 1994. In the present study, LAI defined as vegetation density, as a function of NDVI applied for the vegetation types and Ts defined by the split-window formulation of Becker and Li (1990) with emissivity of a function of NDVI, are used. Results of the inter-annual, intra-annual and intra-seasonal variabilities in Korea show: (1) Inter-annual variability of NDVI is generally larger in the southem and eastern parts of the peninsula than in the western part. This large variability results from the significant mean variation. (2) Inter-annual variability of Ts is larger in the areas of smaller NDVI. This result shows that the NDVI play a small role in emissivity. (3) Inter-annual variability of LAI is larger in the regions of higher elevation and urban areas. Changes in LAI are unlikely to be associated with NDVI changes. (4) Changes in NDVI and Ts are likely dominant in July and are relatively small in spring and fall. (5) Urban effect would be obvious on the time-varying properties of NDVI and Ts in Seoul and the northern part of Taejon, where NDVI decreases and Ts increases with a significant magnitude.