This study was carried out to clarify the difference of growth characteristics and ginsenoside content in 5-year-old ginseng root grown by direct seeding and transplanting cultivation. Root weight per plant of direct seeding cultivation was lower than that of transplanting cultivation. Fresh and dry matter partitioning ratio of direct seeding cultivation was high in main root and low in lateral because direct seeding cultivation root elongated the length of main root, while it suppressed the growth of lateral root. Total amount of ginsenoside contents by direct seeding and transplanting cultivation were 362.8 and 320.3 mg in main root, 188.6 and 548.8 mg in lateral root, 170.7 and 273.8 mg in fine root. Its contents of whole root per plant were 722.1 and 1142.9 mg by direct seeding and transplanting, respectively.