Decomposition of soil organic carbon is a critical component of the carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosysytem. A 90-day laboratory incubation was conducted to measure CO₂ evolution from four different korean pine forests in Xiaoxing'an mountain, and the data from the incubation experiment were fitted to a three-pool first-order model that separate mineralizable soil organic carbon (SOC) into active, slow and resistant carbon pools. The combination of laboratory measurement and field experiment were used to investigate SOC content and turnover rate in different forest stands. The results suggested that: (1) Although the decomposition rates of SOC vary widely in the four typical primary Korean pine forest stands, the dynamic change trend of decomposition was similar with the rapid decomposition in the initial incubation stages and slowly declined and tend to a steady state in the end; At A horizon, the decomposition rates followed the order Picea sp.-Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest > Quercus mongolica-Pinus koraiensis forest > Tilia amurensis-Pinus koraiensis forest > Betula costata-Pinus koraiensis forest, Quercus mongolica-Pinus koraiensis forest and Tilia amurensis-Pinus koraiensis forest did not display much more difference in SOC decomposition. However, at B horizon, the decomposition rate of Picea sp.-Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest was higher than the other three forests, and the marked difference was not found in the other three forest stands. The decomposition rate of Picea sp. -Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest was maximized and the minimum existed in Betula costata-Pinus koraiensis forest; The decomposition rate has a positive relationship with SOC and active carbon organic content and C/N. (2) The active carbon pool accounted for 0.89%-1.78% of SOC with an average MRT of 12-35 d at A horizon, 1.91%-2.87% and 27-58 d at B horizon. The slow carbon pool accounted for 22.58%-28.44% of SOC with an average MRT of 4-19 a at A horizon, 23.87%-42.63% and 16-37 a at B horizon. The Cr pool accounted for 69.98%-76.24% and 54.50%-74.42% of SOC with an average MRT of 173 a at A and B horizon, respectively. The content of Ca and Cs was greater at A horizon than that at B horizon, contrary to the changing tendency, the ratios of Ca to SOC and Cs to SOC increased with increasing depth in the soil profile; The pool size and laboratory mean residence times of SOC decreased in the order: Picea sp.-Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest> Tilia amurensis-Pinus koraiensis forest>Betula costata-Pinus koraiensis forest>Quercus mongolica-Pinus koraiensis forest. At A horizon or B horizon, the size of three carbon pools in Picea sp.-Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest was the biggest, but Quercus mongolica-Pinus koraiensis forest at high altitude has the lowest content of three kinds of SOC pools. Hence, the content of SOC in different community tapes has a great relationship with geographical location. In addition to this, the relationship between litterfall biomass and respiration and soil organic carbon content at A horizon further demonstrated that litterfall on the forest floor has an important effect on the soil organic carbon content.