It is to review the present status of magnesium smelting. Raw materials of magnesium, worldwide production and producer of metallic magnesium, Korean magnesium market and some important extraction technologies were reviewed. The magnesium extraction technology was described according to the two major reduction methods: the fused salt electrolysis and the thermal reduction method. Also, a study on the extraction of magnesium from magnesite which has been being carried out at KIGAM was briefly introduced with discussing the related topics on the recycling of the by-products generated in the process.