Low-carbon steels and a stainless steel were oxidized isothermally and cyclically between 1050℃ and 1200℃ for up to 100 min in air to find the effect of alloying elements of Si, Mn, Ni, and Cr on their oxidation. The most active alloying element of Si was scattered inside the oxide scale, at the scale-alloy interface and as internal oxide precipitates beneath the oxide scale. Manganese, which could not effectively improve the oxidation resistance, was rather uniformly distributed in the oxide scale. Nickel and chromium tended to present at the lower part of the oxide scale. Excessively thick porous scales formed on the low-carbon steels, whereas thin but non-adherent scales containing Cr2O3 formed on the stainless steel.