This study investigated the chemical composition of Artemisia princeps var. orientalis (Pampan) Hara (ssuk in Korea) essential oil and the quantitative changes of major terpene compounds according to the time of harvest. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation extraction from the aerial parts of ssuk were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The essential oil composition of ssuk was characterized by higher contents of mono- and sesqui- terpene compounds. Ninety-nine volatile flavor compounds were identified in the essential oil from ssuk harvested in 2010, with camphor (11.9%), β-caryophyllene (9.11%), dehydrocarveol (8.51%), and borneol (7.72%) being the most abundant compounds. Eighty-three compounds were identified in the essential oil from the plant harvested in 2011, with borneol (12.36%), caryophyllene oxide (12.29%), β -caryophyllene (10.24%), camphor (9.13%), and thujone (8.4%) being the most abundant compounds. Eighty-four compounds were identified in the essential oil from the plant harvested in 2012, with β-caryophyllene (20.25%), caryophyllene oxide (14.63%), and thujone (11.55%) being the major compounds. Eighty-nine compounds were identified in the essential oil from the plant harvested in 2013, with thujone (23.11%), alloaromadendrene oxide (12.3%), and β-caryophyllene (11.48%) being the most abundant compounds. Thujone and aromadendrene oxide contents increased significantly from 2010 to 2013, while camphor and dehydrocarveol contents decreased significantly during those 4 years. The quantitative changes in these 4 compounds according to the time of harvest can served as a quality index for ssuk essential oil. The ecological responses to recent climate changes may be reflected in the chemical components of natural plant essential oils.