This study was conducted to investigate occurrence and biodiversity of phytoparasitic nematodes in kiwifruit orchards in Korea. Soil samples were collected from 11 locations of Gosung, Goheung, Namhae, Bosung, Sacheon, Suncheon, Wando, Jangheung, Jeju, Jindo, Haenam from April to August, 2008. Phytoparasitic nematodes were found in 115 among 178 soil samples. The major genera of phytoparasitic nematodes on kiwifruit were Meloidogyne spp.(52.2%), Tylenchinae (42.1%), Tylenchus spp. (9.0%), Helicotylenchus spp. (9.0%) and Tylenchorhynchus spp. (6.7%). Ditylenchus spp., Hirschmaniella spp., Trichodorus spp. and Psilenchus spp. were also detected, even though their frequencies were very low. According to the cultivation period, the phytoparasitic nematodes were found as follows; 16.9% of soils under 5 years of kiwifruit cultivation, 10.7% 6~10 years, 23.0% 11~15 years, 3.9% 16~20 years and 5.6% over 21 years respectively. The frequency of phytoparasitic nematodes is higher in the open field (50.0%) than that in plastic houses (13.5%). The frequency of phytoparasitic nematodes was 36.5% in the field where vegetables were previously cultivated and 12.9% in the field where rice was previously cultivated.