Myungran Jeotkal, Korean fermented seafood, and its ingredients(hot red pepper powder, ginger, garlic, and seasoning mix) were irradiated with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 kGy of gamma rays and stored at 4C for 4 weeks to determine changes in microbiological and sensory characteristics. Water activities of Myungran Jeotkal, hot red pepper powder, ginger, garlic, and seasoning mix were 0.89 0.56, 0.98, 0.99, and 0.07, respectively. Myungran Jeotkal was observed to be initially contaminated. Total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and coliform levels were 6.7, 4.3, and 3.6 log CFU/g, respectively. Irradiation at 2 kGy afforded approximately a 4 log reduction in total aerobic bacteria, and a 3 log drop in both yeast and mold levels and coliform bacteria(P<0.05). No viable microbial cells were detected in Myungran Jeotkal after 5 kGy of irradiation(at a detection limit of 101 CFU/g). The total aerobic bacterial level in red pepper powder was 6.3 log CFU/g and this component, of the tested ingredients, contributed most to the microbial contamination of Myungran Jeotkal. The initial count of total aerobic bacteria, 6.3 log CFU/g, was significantly reduced to 4.5 log CFU/g after irradiation(P<0.05). Sensory evaluation showed that gamma irradiation of up to 5.0 kGy did not adversely affect overall acceptability of Myungran Jeotkal or its ingredients during cold storage. Therefore, gamma irradiationwas effective to extend the shelf-life of Myungran Jeotkal.