• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2019

Ginseng has been recognized as a lifespan extending medicine which has been regarded as one of the medicines classified as top medicines, as the Boncho (medical herbs) study which is influenced by the idea of guidance's costume and food concept mainly in China is gaining its bona fide form. As the demand for ginseng has been expanded to other levels, the demand for ginseng has been increasing. Ginseng from the nature reached its supply chain limit due to its extinction and difficulty of picking, so it translated into ginseng cultivation of economy rather than harvesting in nature. After the start of ginseng cultivation, the ginseng cultivation was further enhanced by the rapid development of processing methods such as white-ginseng and red-ginseng, and the surge of consumption due to the traditional belief in ginseng drug efficacy and support of scientific research. In the Joseon Dynasty, the name Gasam (cultivated ginseng) had been created as ginseng was cultivated on farmland after the stage of SanYang (wild cultivated ginseng), the purpose of the new name Gasam is to differentiate from natural ginseng, and natural ginseng lost its firm position as the genuine ginseng as the Gasam replaced the genuine ginseng, and the natural ginseng got a new name of SanSam (wild ginseng). Because the real ginseng substance concept dissipated, and as Gasam is being called ginseng, the name Gasam was also disappeared. As a result, it was possible to grow large quantities according to the arrival of the Gasam era, and it was possible to supply the demand for ginseng, and it could become one agricultural industry. In this ginseng cultivation, in Japan where ginseng did not grow naturally, it was difficult to obtain ginseng from Joseon and faced with a shortage of ginseng at all times. Therefore, the shogun cultivated the Gasam systematically at the national level by the inside of the shogunate. However, since the natural ginseng is native to China and Korea, there is a concern about the deterioration of the quality of natural ginseng due to the incorporation of cultivated ginseng (Gasam). To protect the interests, the cultivation of ginseng was subject to control. For this reason, the lack of historical information on Gasam cultivation, which had to be started secretly, would be a natural result. In this paper, althouh not sufficient enough, the historical informations were used to summarize the history of ginseng cultivation in China, Japan and Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 2020

Ginseng, also known as Insam, has solidified its status as one of the supreme drugs classified as life time expansion drug since ancient times and was used as a panacea based on its pharmaceutical effectiveness. The demand for ginseng rapidly increased as the demand for ginseng, which targeted only noble class people, expanded to other social class people. Accordingly, the wild ginseng supply reached its limit due to the extinction caused by indiscriminate harvesting and the difficulty of harvesting, and thus the ginseng supply method shifted to the cultivation of high-priced ginseng rather than complicated wild ginseng foraging. Although the timing of ginseng cultivation (also called gasam) in Korea has been studied, the research on the first cultivation area has not been reported yet. In this study, we critically reviewed Korea's first ginseng cultivation site by arranging data related to ginseng cultivation, and the historical data cited here include Joseon Wangjo Sillog (The Annals of Joseon Dynasty), Imwon Gyeongjeji (The Mid-19 Century Encyclopedia Koreana on Rural Living, Edible plants and Herb Volumes), Oju Yeonmun Jangjeon Sango (An Encyclopedic Writing during the Latter Half Period of the Joseon Dynasty), Junggyeongji (The Junggyeong Town Chronicle), Jeungbo Munheon Bigo (The largest encyclopedia of Joseon Dynasty), Insamsa (The Ginseng History) and etc. As a result of data assortment and critical review, the first ginseng plantation in the Joseon Dynasty resulted in the Yeongnam region, and in Yeongnam region, I have no choice but to conclude that it is Punggi-myeon (currently Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk).

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.6
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• pp.51-79
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• 2024

In the 1970s and 1980s, during the nascent phase of ginseng disease research, efforts concentrated on isolating and identifying pathogens. Subsequently, their physiological ecology and pathogenesis characteristics were scrutinized. This led to the establishment of a comprehensive control approach for safeguarding major aerial part diseases like Alternaria blight, anthracnose, and Phytophthora blight, along with underground part diseases such as Rhizoctonia seedling damping-off, Pythium seedling damping-off, and Sclerotinia white rot. In the 1980s, the sunshade was changed from traditional rice straw to polyethylene (PE) net. From 1987 to 1989, focused research aimed at enhancing disease control methods. Notably, the introduction of a four-layer woven P.E. light-shading net minimized rainwater leakage, curbing Alternaria blight occurrence. Since 1990, identification of the bacterial soft stem rot pathogen facilitated the establishment of a flower stem removal method to mitigate outbreaks. Concurrently, efforts were directed towards identifying root rot pathogens causing continuous crop failure, employing soil fumigation and filling methods for sustainable crop land use. In 2000, adapting to rapid climate changes became imperative, prompting modifications and supplements to control methods. New approaches were devised, including a crop protection agent method for Alternaria stem blight triggered by excessive rainfall during sprouting and a control method for gray mold disease. A comprehensive plan to enhance control methods for Rhizoctonia seedling damping-off and Rhizoctonia damping-off was also devised. Over the past 50 years, the initial emphasis was on understanding the causes and control of ginseng diseases, followed by refining established control methods. Drawing on these findings, future ginseng cultivation and disease control methods should be innovatively developed to proactively address evolving factors such as climate fluctuations, diminishing cultivation areas, escalating labor costs, and heightened consumer safety awareness.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 2020

Ginseng was first addressed ever in the medical record in HyangYakGooGupBang (鄕藥救急方), the oldest Korean medical book published in Kingdom of Goryeo (918-1392) when Ganghwa was the provisional capital city at the time. It is believed that ginsengs in Ganghwa were planted and cultivated from 1100s. Intensive ginseng production in Ganghwa began when Ganghwa became the special district of the Kaesong Ginseng Union (開城人蔘組合) in 1920s, this intensive production continued till the Korean War in 1950. After the Korean War ended in 1953, ginseng production was resumed. In 1967, Ganghwa Ginseng Association (江華蔘業組合) was founded. The total acreage of ginseng harvested was nearly 200 ha in 1967 and it increased to ha 900 in 1974. By mid-1970s, Ganghwa became the largest ginseng region in Korea by total production and acreage. Most of ginseng roots cultivated in Ganghwa are six years old. Ganghwa, which was already well-known for red ginseng productions, has become even more famous for ginseng production.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.5
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• pp.52-76
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• 2023

This article focuses on changes in the ginseng industry in the 1930s in areas other than the Government Contract Cultivation (GCC) zones. A major characteristic of the ginseng industry in the 1930s was the rapid increase in the area covered by ginseng gardens: the area was about 212 ha in 1929 and 252 ha in 1930 and 1931 but soared to around 441 ha in 1938. This occurred because the non-GCC areas increased significantly during this period. Until the early 1930s, the ratio of GCC to non-GCC areas was 70:30. By the late 1930s, however, the ratio had changed to 53:47. The reason for this change was that the area of the newly established ginseng gardens in the GCC zones had decreased, while that of the non-GCC ginseng gardens had steadily increased. Due to the Japanese invasion of China, China boycotted red ginseng, and exports were sluggish, so the GCC areas were reduced. On the other hand, the non-GCC ginseng gardens were not affected, and the area they covered steadily increased. As a result, in the 1930s, the ginseng industry outside of the GCC areas grew rapidly. The region that led the growth of the ginseng industry outside of the GCC zone was Jeonbuk. By the late 1930s, Jeonbuk dominated the other provinces and accounted for more than 50% of the non-GCC farming zone. Gyeongbuk and Gangwon-do followed Jeonbuk in terms of ginseng cultivation areas. While Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongnam, and Chungbuk were also active in ginseng cultivation, Jeonnam and Chungnam were not active. In the 1930s, the growth of the ginseng industry outside of the GCC zones was driven by the efforts of ginseng farmers and the support of local governments. An examination of Yecheon-gun in Gyeongbuk, Ganghwa-gun in Gyeonggi, and Jecheon-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do showed that ginseng farmers organized cooperatives as the ginseng industry steadily developed in these regions, and these cooperatives worked systematically to cultivate and sell ginseng. In the case of Ganghwa-gun, activities were carried out to incorporate the GCC zone. The Deoksan Ginseng Association in Jecheon-gun determined that financing for cultivation was key and requested subsidies from the provincial government. Administrative authorities also supported the activities of the ginseng farmers. The activities of the farmers and the support of the administrative authorities together led to the growth of the ginseng industry during this period.

• CELLMED
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.2.1-2.10
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• 2024

Through big data analysis of the 'Joseonwangjosilok', this study examines the perception of ginseng among the ruling class and its utilization during the Joseon era. It aims to provide foundational data for the development of ginseng into a high-value cultural commodity. The focus of this research, the Joseonwangjosilok, comprises 1,968 volumes in 948 books, spanning a record of 518 years. Data was collected through web crawling on the website of the National Institute of Korean History, followed by frequency analysis of significant words. To assess the interest in ginseng across the reigns of 27 kings during the Joseon era, ginseng frequency records were adjusted based on years in power and the number of articles, creating an interest index for comparative rankings across reigns. Analysis revealed higher interest in ginseng during the reigns of King Jeongjo and King Yeongjo in the 18th century, King Sunjo in the 19th century, King Sejong in the 15th century, King Sukjong in the 17th century, and King Gojong in the 19th century. Examining the temporal emergence and changes in ginseng during the Joseon era, general ginseng types like insam and sansam had the highest frequency in the 15th century. It appears that Korea adeptly utilized ceremonial goods in diplomatic relations with China and Japan, meeting the demand for ginseng from their royal and aristocratic societies. Processed ginseng varieties such as hongsam and posam, along with traded and taxed ginseng, showed peak frequency in the 18th century. This coincided with increased cultivation, allowing a higher supply and fostering the development of ginseng processing technologies like hongsam.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.3
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• pp.11-37
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• 2021

Korean ginseng is the one of the most famous medicinal herbs globally and has long been a representative item of East Asian trade, including across China and Japan. Since Joseon (1392-1910) ginseng trade was entirely controlled by the state, The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty are a valuable resource that can shed light on the history of the ginseng industry at that time. By studying the subsection "The Veritable Records of King Sejong" (世宗實錄), when ginseng was used even more widely, we assess the purpose and scale of its trade in the 15th century, identify its original listing in the geographical appendix, develop a distribution map, and explore similarities to current ginseng cultivation areas. During the reign of King Sejong (1418-1450), ginseng was sent to China as a tribute 101 times, with a combined weight of 7,060 kilograms, with less than one-third of that amount given to Japan and Okinawa. It was used to cover the travel expenses of foreign envoys and servants, but this can be seen to gradually decrease after the regnal mid-term, primarily due to a decrease in the amount of ginseng being collected. At the time, there were 113 areas of naturally growing ginseng as listed in the records' geographical appendix, including 12 recorded in the 'tributes' category: Yeongdeok-gun, Yeongju, and Cheongsong-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do; Ulju-gun and Ulsan in Gyeongsangnam-do; Jeongeup, Wanju-gun, and Jangsu-gun in Jeollabuk-do; Hwasun-gun in Jeollanam-do; Goksan-gun and Sinpyeong-gun in Hwanghaebuk-do; Jeongju and Taecheon-gun in Pyeonganbuk-do; and Jaseong-gun and Junggang-gun in Jagang-do. A total of 101 places are recorded in the 'medicinal herbs' category, located throughout the mountains of the eight Joseon provinces, except the islands. In comparison with current ginseng cultivation sites, many of these historical areas are either consistent with or adjacent to contemporary locations. The geographical appendix to "The Veritable Records of King Sejong" was compiled in the early days of the king's reign (1432) when there was a lot of wild ginseng. The appendix is a valuable resource that indicates the possibility of growing ginseng on the Korean Peninsula in the future. The apparently natural habitats in the south, where ginseng is not currently cultivated, could be candidates for the future. Moreover, areas in the north where ginseng has not been grown, except Kaesǒng, could be a good alternative under sustainable inter-Korean exchange should cultivation sites move north due to climate warming.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.4
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• pp.38-58
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• 2022

Park Wan-seo's novels deal with realistic topics of society, such as women's issues, the capitalist system, and the problems that come with old age. Assuch, her work is used as a tool to analyze social phenomena in various fields, such as women's studies, sociology, and literature. A characteristic style of Park Wan-seo's novels is that she bases them on her own experiences. However, among her novels, the novel Mimang is exceptional. The plot is based on stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. This is to show the spirit of the times through the unforgettable story of her hometown, Gaesong. Mimang is the story of a family chronology that spans four generations centered on Chun Cheu-Man and his family, who became powerful capitalists through the cultivation and commerce of ginseng cultivation. Set in the late 19th century until the end of the Korean War, the novel unravels the essence of the times symbolized by merchants of ginseng and Gaeseong, focusing on the actions of people living in a period of historical turbulence. Gaeseong is the mecca of Korean ginseng, and Gaeseong cannot be portrayed without the story of ginseng and its merchants. Therefore, Mimang, a fictionalized story based on real facts, contains valuable testimony of the history of ginseng, not only as historical values of modern history and personal customs but also as microhistory. In the novel, traces of the times of Gaeseong and the spirit of ginseng merchants, as shown in the Japanese sacking of ginseng during the colonial period, the resistance of ginseng merchants, and the conversion of ginseng capitalism to modern capitalism, are imprinted like fossils. What is especially meaningful is that the stories in the novel correspond to historical facts and constitute a chapter in the history of ginseng. The symbolism of ginseng in the novel can be explained in three main ways. First, it shows the essence of Korean ginseng. It reveals the soul of ginseng through the sincerity and rigor of ginseng farming, as well as the spirit and pride of ginseng. Second, it symbolizes the exploitation of ginseng in Japan as a national issue. The efforts of ginseng merchants to protect this and support the independence movement are presented as important themes to express nationalism. Third, it shows the modern capitalist progressiveness of Gaeseong ginseng merchants, who do not stay in landownership and commercial capital, but convert them to productive capital and contribute to society by modernizing them. The three symbolisms show the spirit of the times of the Gaeseong ginseng merchants, clearly revealing the meaningful relationship between the Korean people and ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.304-311
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• 2018

Background: Ginseng black spot disease resulting from Alternaria panax Whuetz is a common soil-borne disease, with an annual incidence rate higher than 20-30%. In this study, the bacterial strains with good antagonistic effect against A. panax are screened. Methods: A total of 285 bacterial strains isolated from ginseng rhizosphere soils were screened using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and the Oxford cup plate assay. We analyzed the antifungal spectrum of SZ-22 by confronting incubation. To evaluate the efficacy of biocontrol against ginseng black spot and for growth promotion by SZ-22, we performed pot experiments in a plastic greenhouse. Taxonomic position of SZ-22 was identified using morphology, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, 16S ribosomal DNA, and gyrB sequences. Results: SZ-22 (which was identified as Brevundimonas terrae) showed the strongest inhibition rate against A. panax, which showed 83.70% inhibition, and it also provided broad-spectrum antifungal effects. The inhibition efficacies of the SZ-22 bacterial suspension against ginseng black spot reached 82.47% inhibition, which is significantly higher than that of the 25% suspension concentrate azoxystrobin fungicide treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, the SZ-22 bacterial suspension also caused ginseng plant growth promotion as well as root enhancement. Conclusion: Although the results of the outdoor pot-culture method were influenced by the pathogen inoculum density, the cropping history of the field site, and the weather conditions, B. terrae SZ-22 controlled ginseng black spot and promoted ginseng growth successfully. This study provides resource for the biocontrol of ginseng black spot.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 1975

The cultivation of ginseng plant (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) in Korea as an eminent medicinal herb may be traced far back in history. However, the practices in cultivation have not much improved in terms of efficiency and scientific farming. In the present study some experiments were undertaken for the search of the soil and nutrition conditions, because of the nutritional requirement of ginseng plant shaws quite unique compared with other crops. In both the seed bed and the field 'Yakto' has been traditionally employed or the prime source of nutrition of the crop. Yakto is a complex matter prepared from raw foliage of the broad-leaved trees as the main portion with the admixture of a variety of organic nitrogen source through fermentative processes. The composition of Yakto may be classified coarsely into the decomposed and undecomposed substances, the former being further fractionated according their solubilities, comprising also various colloidal matters whose composition and structure are yet to be known. The Yakto-fractions were subjected to analyze for search of its nature and coarse composition in terms of the distribution of nitrogen, contents of organic functional groups such as -COOH, phenolic-OH, alcholic-OH and methoxyl and hydrolysable sugars. Furthermore, absorption-spectra of each fraction were determined in visible and infrared region and compared the results each other.