Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an important risk factor of gastric adenocarcinoma. Interleukin (IL)-8 is a potent angiogenic factor and plays an important role in inflammation of gastric mucosa by H. pylori. Host susceptibility may help to predict H. pylori-infected individuals with a higher risk of gastric adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of IL-8 polymorphism on angiogenesis in the process of gastric carcinogenesis in H. pylori-infected Koreans. The IL-8-251A/T polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-RFLP from a total of 395 subjects; 92 normal controls, 87 H. pylori-infected controls, 108 chronic atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia and 108 adenocarcinoma. The gastric mucosal concentrations of IL-8, membrane metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, angiopoietin (Ang)-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by ELISA. MMP-9 concentrations were increased with disease progression. There was significant correlation between MMP-9 and disease progression in AA (r=0.42, p<0.01) and AT genotype (r=0.43, p<0.01). Ang-1 concentrations were increased in AA genotype (r=0.40, p=0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between VEGF and disease progression in AA genotype. In conclusion, IL-8-251 AA genotype may be associated with angiogenesis in gastric carcinogenesis in H. pylori-infected Koreans.