The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, control of hypertension, and the related risk factors in a Korean population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural area of South Korea from 2005 to 2006. Subjects (n = 6388) were selected from individuals aged 40 years or older by stratified random cluster sampling. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 43.8 % (43.1 % in men, 44.9 % in women). The awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were 60.1%, 91.7%, and 27.2%, respectively. In men, old age (> or = 60 years old) and low waist circumference (< 90 cm) were positively associated with higher awareness and treatment, whereas body mass index (BMI) was negatively associated with blood pressure (BP) control. Women aged 60 years or older were more aware of their condition, more treated, and more in control of their BP as well. In women, high BMI and a family history of diabetes mellitus were positively associated with higher awareness and treatment, whereas low waist circumference (< 80 cm) was negatively associated with BP control. Our findings indicate that appropriate health care should be given to hypertensive subjects on the basis of these risk factors and according to their sex.