This study analyzed the characteristics of the wind waves near the Korean marginal seas in the 2002 - 2005 year using the third generation wave model, WAVEWATCH - III model. In order to investigate the model performance, model results were compared with the marine meteorological observation results. The 4 years average correlation coefficient between model and observation shows very high value of about 0.77. The model of this study represents very well the characteristics of wind waves near the Korean marginal seas. Simulated monthly sea surface winds and wind waves show the evident spatial variations and this model also simulates very well seasonal characteristics of wind waves in this region.