From 1945 to 1950 North Korea's communist regime enlarged the western medical system on the one hand and employed traditional medicine as supplementary on the other hand. The institutionalization of traditional medicine however was not smooth largely because western medical doctors had negative attitude toward traditional medicine. The Korean War in 1950－1953 changed the situation in favor of traditional medicine. The war destroyed the western medical system, which forced the communist party to pay more attention to traditional medicine as a substitute. Three important things happened to consolidate the status of traditional medicine in North Korean medical system. First, the traditional medical doctors became qualified and educational/research institutions were built for traditional medicine. Second, the traditional medical personnel became an important part of national medical system and the private practice by traditional medical doctors became extinct gradually. Finally, traditional medicine and western medicine worked together in both medical education and clinical practice.