Similar diseases of bamboo attributed to phytoplasmas have been reported from neighboring Asian nations. However, the phylogenetic relationships of the respective phytoplasmas involved are unknown because phytoplasmas in general have not undergone molecular analysis. The present data obtained by PCR amplification and 16S rDNA sequence analysis suggest that the phytoplasma recovered from natural host bamboos could be included in the Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris strain. This report shows for the first time that the witches’ broom-like symptoms in Korean bamboos are related to infection by a phytoplasma. The etiological agents of bamboo witches’ broom in China and India may be genetically similar phytoplasmas, although no published data substantiates this relationship.