Genetic variation of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), was analyzed by polymorphic allozymes. Field populations were subdivided by different hosts, geographical locations, and seasons. Estimated average heterozygosity ($0.443pm$0.013) indicated high genetic variation in all field populations of S. exigua. There were significant inbreeding effects deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in each of subpopulations. These significant nonrandom matings were caused by within-subpopulations probably due to sampling errors, but not by mating isolation among subpopulations. Wrights ($F_{ST}$ ) and Neis (D) genetic distances indicated little genetic differentiation among subpopulations, though some southern local subpopulations (Haenam and Sachon) were relatively different of northern subpopulations (Andong and Kunwi). Estimated number of migrants per generation was 5.9 among host subpopulations, 10.6 among geographical subpopulations, and 31.8 among seasonal subpopulations. These genetic analyses suggest that Korean S. exigua subpopulations have little genetic differentiation mostly due to their significant migratory capacity.