Enzymatic treatment conditions for red ginseng residue (RGR) were investigated to apply RGR as a microbial medium. Polysaccharide hydrolyase and protease were screened to obtain high solid and carbohydrate yields, and a good degree of carbohydrate hydrolysis. The optimal dosage and reaction time for Viscozyme, the chosen polysaccharide hydrolyase, were found to be 1.0% (w/w) and 3 h, respectively. Of the tested proteases, Flavourzyme, whose optimal dosage was 0.5% (w/w), was selected. Co-treatment with the optimal dosages of Flavourzyme and Viscozyme increased solid yield, carbohydrate yield, and degree of carbohydrate hydrolysis by 76%, 65%, and 1,865%, respectively, over levels in non-treated RGR. The culture characteristics of Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain KACC 91459P grown in enzymatically hydrolyzed red ginseng residue (ERGR) and RGR suspensions were compared. After cultivation for 6 h, the viable cell counts of both cell suspensions rapidly increased to $1.3{ imes}10^9$ colony-forming units (CFU)/g. Moreover, while the viable cell population drastically decreased to $2.4{ imes}10^6;CFU/g$ for cells grown in RGR medium, it was maintained in cells fermented in ERGR medium for 24 h.