This study was performed to develop a prototype continuous flow ginseng dryer with which better product quality and lower drying energy consumption could be achieved compared with conventional ginseng dryers. A dryer having both far infrared ray (IR) and heated-air as the drying energy sources was designed and fabricated . Dryer performance was studied by examining energy efficiencies and dryer performance evaluation indices (DPEI) during the drying tests of medium-sized four year ginseng roots with IR radiating plate temperature and drying air temperature in the range of 80-12$0^{circ}C$ and 22-5$0^{circ}C$, respectively. The DPEI of IR /heated -air combined drying was 1/3 of that of the conventional heated-air drying when ginseng were dried to the same final moisture ratio. When ginsengs were dried for 12 hours in the prototype IR/heated-air combination dryer, a linear relationship was found to exist between final moisture ratio and ginseng temperature. As the drying progressed, drying air temperature inside the dryer was nearly constant but ginseng temperature was drastically increased during the first two hours and gradually increased thereafter until the end of drying. With the prototype Ir/heated-air combination dryer, the drying rate changed little but the energy efficiency increased proportionally when the amount of ginseng to be dried increased. Drying capacity, energy efficiency, and DPEI of the prototype IR/heated-air combination ginseng dryer were estimated to 1.500 roots, 65% and 3.800kJ/kg-water , respectively.