AbstractVolatile components in the needles of Pinus densiflora (red pine), a conifer native to Korea, were extracted by simultaneous distillation–extraction. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that α‐pinene is the most abundant compound, followed by β‐phellandrene, germacrene D, β‐caryophyllene, and myrcene. In aroma extract dilution analysis, α‐pinene (pine/fresh) was determined to be the most intense aroma‐active compound, with a high flavour dilution factor. (Z)‐3‐Hexenal (green/apple) and bornyl acetate (pine/herbaceous) were also identified as important aroma‐active compounds. These aroma‐active compounds were also detected through headspace solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–olfactometry, using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and Carboxen‐PDMS fibres. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.