When tea trees were introduced to Korea peninsular from China? Historically, Mr. Taeryum, an envoy of Shilla dynasty brought tea seeds from China during Tang dynasty and the seeds were planted at Jiri Mt. by the order of King Heungduk at AD828. During Koryo Dynasty(918 1392), Buddhism spread rapidly all over the country and the tea culture reached its highest stage of prosperity. At the Chosun Dynasty, however, the ceremonial drinking of tea vanished almost completely due to the flourishing Confucian tradition, a kind of substitution of Buddhism. But a few people have supported the traditional tea culture by themselves. Since the independence of Korea soon after the World War II at 1945, Korean War have been exploded at 1950. After economic evolution have been succeeded at 1980, the cultivation area of tea trees has been increased about 2,000ha and the cultural tradition of tea drinking has become popular again at a tea consume quantities amounted to 100g per capita at 2004. The northern limited area of tea plant is lined on the southern part of Korea peninsular. It is very small region compared to China about one million ha and to Japan over 60 thousand ha. It is problem not only the area of tea fields but also the methodology of tea cultivation, for examples without clonal cultivars and mechanical systems. WTO treatments was discussing with Korea, China and Japan government at 2005. Green tea custom is very high at 514% in Korea. If three countries will be agreed the imported tax will be cut off, the Korean tea farmers will be confused because of unstable situation of tea markets. All most of tea farmers should be made the tea fields by seeding not clonal propagation. Because of clonal cultivars have not developed in Korea, there have not been the research institutes for tea plants and manufactures before 1992. Now there are three research institute of tea in Korea; Tea Experiment Station at Bosung of Jeonnam Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Mokpo Experimental Station of National Institute of Crop Science, and Green Tea Cluster Institute of Hadong. Mokpo and Hadong Research Station were established at 2004 and at 2005 but Bosung Station was established at 1992. Seven clonal tea cultivers were selected at Bosung Station; Bohyang, Myngsun, Chanlok, Sunhyang, Mihyang, Jinhyang and Ohsun until 2004. Mokpo Experimental Institute was started the tea provenance testing about 4 provenances: Kangwon-do, Jeonlabuk-do, Jeonlanam-do, and Kyungsangnam-do. Korean new tea cultivers should be selected because Koran wild tea population have been high genetic variation. If tea breeding research will be successful to select new clonal cultivers, the tea farmers of Korea will be stable after WTO treatment with each country.

• 박용구(Department of Forestry, Kyungpook National University) | Park, Young-Goo