In order to estimate the nutrient flux of the Seomjin River into the coastal waters of South Sea, and to understand the estuarine reactions during mixing between river water and seawater, we collected surface water along the salinity gradient in the Seomjin River estuary from Mar. 1999 to Apr. 2001. We found that nitrate and silicate were delivered by fluvial input, while phosphate was, supplied from disposed wastes in the Gwangyang Bay. Mean annual flux of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), phosphate and silicate into the Gwangyang Bay was estimated 10.9 molesㆍsec$^{-1}$(4,820 tonnesㆍyr$^{-1}$), 0.07 molesㆍsec$^{-1}$(68 tonnesㆍyr$^{-1}$), 13.3 molesㆍsec$^{-1}$(11,747 tonnesㆍy$^{-1}$), respectively. An evident removal of phosphate, silicate and ammonium at the mid-salinity zone during the dry season was attributed to the active uptake of phytoplankton, and consequently nutrient flux into the Gwangyang Bay was low. Whereas, during the flood season in summer, conservative or additional distribution of the nutrients was observed in the estuary. As a rsult nutrient flux into the Gwangyang Bay was maintained high. High concentrations of chlorophyll a and the active removal of nutrient during the dry season at the mid-salinity zone suggest that nutrient distribution in the Seomjin River estuary was mainly controlled by biological processes and nutrient fluxes into the Gwangyang Bay might be significantly modified of by the primary production.