Background : Great achievements have been made to form a system to protect seed intellectual property rights over the past years in Korea. The system is divided into two parts: the plant variety protection (PVP) system and the patent. Korea has a dual protection system unlike Europe. The purpose of this study was to examine the application and industry trends, and the registration states of herbal crops under the PVP system. Methods and Results : Eighteen years have passed since Korea introduced PVP system. The number of plant varieties were applied for the registration were 9,959 and 7,070 among 9,959 were registered until the end of 2017. The total number of 9,959 applicant varieties formulations like ornamental crops (5,036 varieties, 52%) > vegetables (2,149, 22%) > food crops (1,251, 13%) > persimmon trees (626, 6%) > special crops (397, 4%) > mushrooms (267, 2%) > and forage crops (69, 1%). The total number of 7,070 registered varieties formulations like ornamental (3,779 varieties, 54%) > vegetables (1,344, 19%) > food crops (1,020, 15%) > persimmon trees (398, 5%) > special crops (282, 4%) > mushrooms (169, 2%) > and forage crops (42, 1%). Among the applicant varieties for registration, special 50 type crops in 397 varieties were applied until the end of 2017. The applicant varieties formulation like sesame (72 varieties) > perilla (54) > peanuts (53) > ginseng (32) > Tea tree (18) > rape (31) > matrimony vine (14) > mulberry (11). Among the remained 42 crops, less than 10 varieties were applied. Oilseed crops such as sesame, perilla, peanut and rapeseed are 60% of the total number of applications for special crops, 32% of herbal crops such as ginseng and foxglove (Rehmannia glutinosa), 8% in fiber (ramie) and beverage crops (stevia, tea). Compared with Japan, 33,206 varieties were applied and 8,963 were registered as of March 31, 2018. Among the special crops, 287 varieties (0.8%) were applied and 126 varieties (1.4%) were registered. Conclusion : The total of 9,959 varieties have been applied for the PVP, of which 397 (4%) are special crops and 282 (4%) among 397 are registered varieties. The number of applications of herbal crops such as ginseng and foxglove consist 165 varieties, which corresponds to 2% of total applications. Compared with Japan in the term of registered special crops, in Korea they have been registered about twice as much.