In this study, the physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils distributed in the Hwasun area have been measured in the laboratory. The physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils in the study area as follows: the specific gravity is 2.66 to 2.68, the liquid limit is 36.39 to 36.92(%), the plastic limit is 18.53 to 19.48(%), the plasticity index is 17.44 to 17.86 and soil classification is CL. The maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content as calculated by compaction test is 22.5 to 23% and 1.58 to $1.61t/ extrm{m}^3$, respectively. The result of direct shear testing show that cohesion in saturated and unsaturated conditions increases according to the increase of dry unit weight. Internal friction angle in an unsaturated condition increases with an increase of dry unit weight, but in a saturated condition, it increases after decreasing. When compares with engineering characteristics of tile weathered shale soils in the Daegu area (Kim et al., 1995), specific gravity is found to be similar, but the liquid and plastic limit of soil samples in this study area is slightly higher than those of soil samples in the Daegu area.