Chromium compounds are widely used in diverse industries including pigment manufacturing, painting, metal plating and leather tanning. With the wide uses of chromium, various adverse effects of the compounds on the environment and human health have been reported. Among them, hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)], which is a carcinogenic heavy metal, has been widely studies. Epidemiological investigations have shown that respiratory cancers had been found in workers who had been occupationally exposed to Cr (VI). In this study, cell toxicity and induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by Cr (VI) (1, 2, 4, $8{mu}M$) in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells were investigated. Exposure of the cells to Cr (VI) led to cell death, ROS increase, and cytosolic caspase-3 activation. The ROS increase was related with the decreased level of GSH. Chromatin condensation and fragmentation were occurred by Cr (VI) when evaluated by DAPI staining or agarose gel electrophoresis of the extracted DNA. Expression of ROS related genes including glutathione S-transferase, heme oxygenase-1, metallothionein were significantly induced in Cr (VI) treated cells. This result suggests the toxicity in cultured cells by Cr (VI) was expressed through the apoptotic process with ROS induction.