Seasonal and interannual variations of the oceanic condition in the surface layer of the northwestern East Sea are described. The seasonal variation shows two types in the water circulation. In the first type the East Korean Warm Current (EUC) Water are dominant in the East Korean Bay in spring, while in summer the cold water region develops as the North Korean Cold Current (NKCC) becomes strong. In the second type the cold water appears in the East Korean Bay from spring, but in summer the EKWC comes close to the coast, thus influencing the coastal cold water region. The characteristics of the interannual variation can be classified into 4 types according to the relative strength between the EKWC and the NKCC, and the paths of these currents. In each case various sizes of cyclonic cold eddies and/or anti-cyclonic warm eddies are formed frequently in the East Korean Bay.