This report is based on roentgenographic examinations of approxiximately 1,500 Korean children, whose birthdays fell within 30 days of the dates of examination. The data are composed of menarcheal age, measurement of standing height. and skeletal assessments. The skeletal assessments were made by using the hand and wrist .atlas from the U. S. National Center for Health Statistics (1971). the knee atlas of Pyle and Hcerr (1969), and the foot and ankle atlas of Hcerr, Pyle and Francis (1962).
Following conclusions are made:
1. In contrast to the physical development, which shows annual increment in standing height and decrease in menarcheal age. the mental development appears to be delayed perhaps due to more sophisticated educational courses. The. tendency is that disparity between the physical and mental maturation is gradually increasing.
2. While the skeletal maturity. of the gpei limbs in Korean children is significantly slower than .that of the American children, the lower Iimbs grow comparatively faster and closely follows the American couterpart.
3. It is evident that the developing countries such as Korea manifest an acceleration phenomenon in the skeletal development.
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