A stable method for strain distinction using viral RNA 1 structures analyses was developed and compared with the combined RT-PCR and RAPD methods. Seven out of 61 random primers were found to be polymorphic based on RAPD analysis resulting on the differentiation of the 33 BaYMV isolates into four distinct groups according to geographical districts. The first and largest group includes 13 isolate and consists mainly of two-rowed malting barley in Haenam area. The second group had ten collections from inland in west southern. The third group had seven isolates from west southern coastal region, where mainly six-rowed naked barley is cultivated. The last fourth group included three isolates from Gyungnam region in east southern area. Conclusively, RNA 1 analysis proved to be stable and efficient method for strain distinction for Korean BaYMV isolates. Further, results of pathogenicity and RNA 1 structure analyses revealed four groups BaYMV strains and were distributed all over Korea, represented by Naju, Haenam-okcheon, Iksan and Milyang.