The grain and agronomic characteristics of Korean barley cultivars were investigated with respect to ethanol yield. Test weight, grain yield, and starch yield showed noticeable variation among the cultivars. Grain yields were higher in covered barley and non-waxy barley. Starch yield was higher in non-waxy barley than waxy barley. Protein, β -glucan, and starch content of tested cultivars ranged in 10.0-12.9%, 4.4-7.5% and 49.7-65.3%, respectively. Naked barley cultivar had higher starch content than covered barley cultivar. However, covered barley had high starch yield because it has higher grain yield than naked barley. Covered barley cultivar had higher husk content, ranging 7.6-14.0%, than that of naked barley cultivar, ranging 5.3-8.0%. Starch content was positively correlated with amylose content, test weight, ethanol yield and negatively correlated with protein, husk, β -glucan content. Ethanol yield per ton was positively correlated with starch content, but negatively correlated with husk content. Ethanol yield per hectare was positively correlated with starch yield, grain yield, grain weight and negatively correlated with protein, test weight. From this research, the important characteristics of barley cultivar as a bioethanol producing material were starch content and grain yield. Optimum barley genotype was non-waxy naked barley that had low protein, β -glucan, husk content, and high starch content and grain yield.