The aim of publishing the Korean Pharmaceutical Codex is to update and set specification of essential drugs for humane health. In accordance with speedy development of new drugs and improvement of science and technology, the need of revision of drug specification through the ICH guidelines and discussions between regulatory agency and pharmaceutical industry for the quality assurance of safer and efficient drugs is getting higher. The first edition of Korean Pharmaceutical Codex was published in 1983. Now, the third revision of the Codex is prepared because of the revision of domestic and foreign Pharmacopeias, changes of drug control environment, improvement of science and technology and so on. The aim of 3th edition is to improve the quality of essential drugs through the setting of the required specifications and discussions between the regulatory agency and pharmaceutical industry.