The effects of biological and chemical soil factors on the distribution of nematophagous fungi were evaluated by comparing their concentrations of elements in 37 soil samples collected from uplands, greenhouses, and mountains in southern parts of Korea. A total of 11 species of nematophagous fungi, nine predatory and two endoparasitic fungi, were isolated from 84% of soil samples. Arthrobotrys oligospora, capturing nematodes by adhesive network was the most frequently isolated at 25.5%. Nematophagous fungi were more diverse in soil with more number of saprophytic nematodes, and high density was found in soil with fewer number of plant-parasitic nematodes. Stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that the presence of endoparasites in soil were associated with pH, while net-forming species including Arthrobotrys oligospora as representative species were largely independent of soil elements, although generally they were isolated from soils with high phosphate. Constricting ring and adhesive knob forming predators were influenced by pH and K+ conc., while species with adhesive hyphae were associated with Mg++ conc. and more frequently isolated from poor soils containing low organic matter. Among species, A. conoides, A. arthrobotryoides, M. thaumasium were affected by pH and Ca++ conc. pH which was positively correlated with Ca++ conc., appears one of the most important elements determining the presence of nematophagous fungi in soil.