The total mushroom production in Korea in 2015 comprised about 200,000 ton with a value of about 700 billion won (one trillion won if mushroom factory products are included, 1 $=1,128 won). This is almost equal to the amounts generated by flowers and medicinal crops. Even though the cultivation area and the number of farms have been decreased since 2006, the scale of the farms is increasing. Also mushroom productivity and consumption (4.9 ㎏ / person in 2015) are steadily increasing. Major cultivated species are Flammulina velutipes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus bisporus, which cover 90% of the total production. Shelves, logs, plastic bags or plastic bottles are mostly used for cultivation depending on the kind of mushroom. Mushroom export estimated about 43 million $ in 2016. Major exported mushrooms are Flammulina velutipes, Pleurotus eryngii, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tricholoma matsutake and Agaricus bisporus that are destined for the U.S., the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and several other countries. Mushroom research in the RDA started in 1967. In the beginning, development of cultivation methods using rice straw was studied together with distribution of improved strains of the button mushroom. The costs of button mushroom production strongly increased due the improving national economy, shortage of workers, increase of wages and the oil crisis in the nation. This caused a weak competitive position for button mushroom export and resulted in reduction of the button mushroom cultivation area. After development of a cotton waste cultivation method for the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreastus), this mushroom was popularized and mainly studied. Development of automated plastic bottle cultivation systems in the 1990s changed shelf cultivation to mass production. The bottle system was applied to the oyster mushroom but also to F. velutipes and P. eryngii. Mushroom research in the RDA nowadays focuses on analysis of mushroom genetics in combination with development of new mushroom varieties, mushroom physiology and cultivation. Further studied are environmental factors for cultivation, disease control, development and utilization of mushroom substrate resources, post-harvest management and improvement of marketable traits. Finally, the RDA manages the collection, classification, identification and preservation of mushroom resources.