A CAB cDNA clone(pKGCAB) encoding the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein of the semi-shade plant, Korean ginseng(Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) was isolated by the one-way path random sequencing of ginseng cDNA library clones and transgenic tobacco plants(Nicotiana tabacum NC82) were produced by the transformation of this ginseng CAB gene in use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. The CAB gene showed type 1 structure of LHCP-II, 84% similarity in nucleotide sequence and 92% in amino acid sequence to that of Nicotiana tabacum CAB40, respectively. Seed germination and initial growth of the transgenic tobacco plants transformed with the cDNA fragment were accelerated under low light intensity compared with those of normal tobacco plant, that may result from the higher light sensitivity of the transgenic plants than that of the normal.