To identify four cyst nematodes (Heterodera schachtii, H. trifolii, H. glycines, H. sojae) that are economically important plant-parasitic nematodes in Korea, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by 8 endonucleases (PstI, VspI, AlwI, RsaI, MvaI, EcoRI, Eco72I, Hinf I) was performed based on sequence difference of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. As a result, species-specific DNA band patterns by RsaI endonuclease were observed in H. schachtii. The specific patterns was in H. trifolii by 3 endonucleases (VspI, AlwI, Hinf I), and was in H. glycines by Hinf I. While, H. sojae was not digested by 4 endonuclease (VspI, AlwI, RsaI, Hinf I). This study showed that four cyst nematodes could be distinguished using RFLP by 4 endonucleases (RsaI, VspI, AlwI, Hinf I) based on the sequence difference of COI gene.