Bivalve samples from 30 locations Korean coastal waters were analyzed to characterize the contamination with and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The congeners of PBDE in 30 bivalve samples were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography with a high resolution mass detector. The levels of PBDEs in bivalve samples ranged from 0.092 to 13.5 ng/g wet weight. These values for PBDEs concentrations in bivalves from Korea were higher than or comparable to available values for bivalves from other countries. In the congener profiles, BDE-47 (mean contribution=42.2%) was predominant, followed by BDE-99 (23.1%), BDE-100 (11.9%) and BDE-154 (3.5%). Among the OCs analyzed, $Sigma$PCBs and $Sigma$DDTs levels were highest, followed by $Sigma$HCHs, $Sigma$CHLs and HCB. The wet weight based $Sigma$PCBs and $Sigma$DDTs ranged from 0.28 ng/g to 19.4 ng/g, and from 0.19 ng/g to 4.86 ng/g, respectively. The $Sigma$PCBs and $Sigma$DDT slevels in bivalves along the entire Korean coast were lower than those of the USA, and below the Food and Drug Administration (USA. FDA) limits for fish and shell fish. However, the human health criteria and wild life criteria of the USA. Environmental Protection Agency (USA. EPA) were exceeded for DDE and $Sigma$HCHs at most of the sampling points.