The Hemiptera are a large and diverse order of insects with mouth parts specially modified for piercing and sucking soluble contents in vascular bundles. Many hemipterans (aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, stinkbugs, leafhopper and planthoppers) are important pests of plants, either by direct feeding and as vectors of viral and bacterial plant diseases. Plants can alter their physiology to tolerate insect infestation and vice versa. Here we present research topics, which include the current and future advances in hemipteran-plant interactions that address the systematics, resistance, susceptibility and implications for future forest research.

Up to days, approximately 150 species of the subfamily scolytinae have been recorded from Korean peninsula. We have examined the collections of the Museum in Seoul National University, Korea Forest Research Institute, Research Institute of Forest Insects Diversity and National Plant Quarantine Service. And we have collected the bark beetles with Malaise traps and Lindgren funnel traps from 2007 to 2011 in the central part of the Korean peninsula. As a result of this study, we report 4 species, Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius 1787), Sueus niisimai (Eggers 1926), Scolytogenes expers (Blandford 1894) and Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff 1878) to Korean fauna with brief descriptions and illustrations of diagnostic characters.

Prorops Waterston is a small genus of the family Bethylidae (Hymenoptera) with just four species known worldwide: P. nasuta Waterston (cosmopolitan), P. petila Evans (Nearctic, Neotropical); P. obsoleta Evans (Neotropical); P. rakan Terayama (Palaearctic). A new species is recognized from the tropic rain forest of Cambodia. It is characterized from congeneric species by ‘the elongated median process on the lower part of frons and the flat-broad mandible downwardly developed’. The new species is described and illustrated with a key to world species of the genus Prorops.

DNA barcode (mitochondrial COI) has been widely attempted for species identification of many animal groups including aphids. In this study, we newly found a DNA barcoding problem in a case study of the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. Unexpectedly, five S. avenae individuals showed considerable differences of, on average, 32.6% in the DNA sequences from other conspecific individuals. BLAST search revealed that the five sequences are similar to those of aphid parasitoids such as Aphidius, Ephedrus, and Praon spp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Based on these results, we concluded that the universal primers used in aphid DNA barcodes can amplify barcode sequences from parasitoid species within host aphids.

The Korean record of Scolytoplatypus mikado Blandford 1893 is originated from Murayama (1929) whereas Wood(1989) synonimyzed S. sinensis Tsai & Huang 1965 as a junior synonym of S. mikado Blandford 1893. In 2010, the authors collected several specimens from Korea and Japan and found considerable morphological differences between S. sinensis and S. mikad the process on the prosternum, the pubescences on the procoxae, and the shape of the male elytral declivity. Comparing the Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16S rRNA gene, we also found the genetical gap between the South Korean specimens (= S. sinensis, with the Japanese sample from Mt. Tsukubasan) and the sample from Mt. Yamizosan, Japan (= S. mikado). Accordingly, S. sinensis Tsai & Huang 1965 is here reinstated.

Up to days, 5 species belonging to the genus Clytus, one of the large genera among the tribe Clytini have been recorded from Korean peninsula. The genus Clytus can be distinguished from the other genera by combination of following characteristics: width of head between each antennal socket longer than length of scape; carinae on frons absent; 1st segment of hind-tarsus 2 times shorter than combined length of 2nd+3rd segments; hind-femora weekly swelled in middle part; posterior part of metasternum without process in ventral view. Clytus sp. nov. is most similar to C. clavicornis Reiche, an endemic species to Sicily island in Southern Italy, having thickened 5th or 6th to apical antennal segment. However, this species can be distinguished from the latter species by specific morphological characteristics. As a result of this study, we report Clytus sp. nov. as new to science with brief description and illustrations diagnostic characteristics with key to the Korean Clytus species.

Three species, Allobethylus tomoae Terayama, Cephalonomia tarsalis (Ashmead), and Laelius yamatonis Terayama of the subfamily Epyrinae are recorded for the first time in Korea. Both sexes of A. tomoae Terayama, C. tarsalis (Ashmead) and female of L. yamatonis Terayama are briefly described with diagnostic morphological illustrations for each species based on the Korean specimens. Male of the genus Allobethylus is discovered for the first time from the word.

Up to days, 31 species of 7 genera of the tribe Xyleborini have been recorded from Korean peninsula. We have collected the bark beetles with Malaise traps from 2007 to 2009 in the central part of the Korean peninsula. As a result of this study, we report 2 species, Xyleborus japonicus Nobuchi, 1981 and X. pelliculosus Eichhoff, 1878, for the first time from Korea with brief descriptions and illustrations of diagnostic characters.

Chrysochroa fulgidissima is the most beautiful Korean beetle and valuable insect in traditional culture because of ancient fulgidissima's adornments in Korea and Japan. The species is also recognized as very rare in the Korean fauna. However, we recently realized that the Korean population has been applied to Ch. fulgidissima without detailed taxonomic approaches since Japanese colonial rule of Korea. Therefore, we investigated 76 dried specimens belonging to seven populations collected from N. Vietnam, E. China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea through morphological and molecular taxonomy using DNA barcoding of COI and 16S rRNA. As the result, the Korean population is strongly formed a monophyletic branch divided from other populations by genetic divergence of each 10.2%~11.7% in DNA barcoding and 6.4%~7.9% in 16S rRNA, and as well as fine structure in the male genitalia. It is allowed to us that the Korean population, which has been underestimated at species discrimination in morphology, may be considered as a novel species.

The genus Scolytus of the family Scolytidae comprises more than 120 species through the world. Fifteen species of the genus Scolytus are revised from Korean peninsula. The genus Scolytus can be distinguished from the other genera by combination of following characteristics: frons slightly concave or convex with vertical wrinkles; club longer than 7-segmented funicle; pronotum fairly large, shining, punctured, narrowed towards the front, turning into a more slight or distinct neck-like constriction; vicinity of scutellum deeply impressed; elytra flat with punctures densely or sparsely arranged in rows; abdominal sternites from 2nd to 5th obliquely, convexly, concavely or vertically ascendant and with or without process or tubercles at middle. Scolytus frontalis Blandford, 1894 is new record to Korea. This species was collected from living Zelkova tree, Zelkova serrata which were planted along the street. We provide the habitus of this species and its biological informations.

The subfamily Dendrometrinae is a large group in Elateridae with about 2000 species world wide. However, this subfamily were not taxonomically reviewed in the Korean fauna. As the result of taxonomic review, 40 species are confirmed from Korea, with the description of two new genera, 11 new species, and one new subspecies. A total of 11 species are also recognized for the first time from Korea.

South Korean species of the bethylid wasps, genus Holepyris are reviewed. Ten species are recognized and eight of them are described as new to science: H. crinitus sp. nov., H. dimidium sp. nov., H. discedo sp. nov., H. mucro sp. nov., H. multo sp. nov., H. profundus sp. nov., H. secedo sp. nov., H. tantillus sp. nov.; Holepyris benten Terayama 2006 and H. susanowo Terayama 1999 are recorded for the first time from South Korea. Diagnostic characteristics and illustrations of each species are provided.

Four species in two genera of the tribe Pilophorini, the ant mimetic Plant bugs are revised from Nepal. One new species of genus Pilophorus Hann, P. sp. nov is proposed. Pilophorus typicus (Distant, 1909) and Sthenaridea piceonigra (Motschulsky, 1863) are new record to Nepal. Pilophours josifovianus Duwal and Yasunaga, 2008 previously described species from Nepal and all other three species are here with illustrations of male and female genitalia and their biological information.