This study looks at the origin of a wild–ginseng, Korean ginseng, and traces the origin of associated wild–ginseng digging customs back to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. These historical customs helped Korea gain control over its wild ginseng resources following Japanese colonization acts, Korea‘s present–day forest laws, and Korean Civil Law. Prior to Japanese colonial rule in Korea (1910–1945), ginseng digging was a common custom, but Imperial Japan distorted Korea’s own legal principles of the public rights of wild–ginseng digging during this colonial period. Distorted legal principles concerning digging customs continued after Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule and were maintained until the enforcement of the Korean Civil Law in 1960, when legal principles of the right of common were changed to special servitude. The origin of the right of common can be found in the Sichojang of the Joseon Dynasty. The Sichojang, a place where local residents jointly collected firewood and fed livestock, was the minimum right to life and interest at the time. Since the right of common was the right to life, Imperial Japan attempted to abolish it, but it was never successful. In addition, distorted legal principles have been maintained in present–day forestry–related laws and regulations.
Over 75 years since the liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, it is imperative to break away from the distorted legal principles and acknowledge that digging custom rights have changed from common customs to a special servitude under Korean Civil Law. Hence, an organization of wild–ginseng diggers is an unincorporated association, and their wild–ginseng digging customs can be constituted as a special servitude. Hence, their practices should be considered valid under customary law. Through this, it will be possible to clarify the legal nature and grounds for ginseng–related wild–ginseng digging activities, as well as the civil responsibility for the activities of wild–ginseng diggers.

Keywords: Wild-ginseng digger, Digging custom, Special servitude, Customary law, Unincorporated association, Common customs