## 1 Introduction  
Medicinal plants play a crucial role in human health and have been utilized since ancient times to treat a diverse array of diseases [1]. Ginseng, one of the most ancient medicinal plants, belongs to the ginseng genus (Panax), which is part of the Araliaceae family. The genus _Panax_, which includes _Panax ginseng_, _P. notoginseng, P. pseudoginseng, P. trifolius, P. stipuleanatus, P. quinugeloius, P. japonicus_, _P. japonicus_ (var. _angustiolius_, var. _bipinatifidius_, var. _major_), and _P. zingiberensis_, is predominantly found in East Asia and North America [2,3]. In Korea, _Panax ginseng_ is classified into three types according to the cultivation environment and method. Wild ginseng (WG) naturally grows without any artificial intervention. Wild-simulated ginseng (WSG) is produced in natural conditions without the application of artificial facilities, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. In contrast, cultivated ginseng (CG) is grown in controlled environments with artificial facilities. WSG is designated as a specially managed forest product under the Korean Forest Service's Act on the Promotion of Forestry and Mountain Villages, which characterizes it as 'WSG produced without the installation of artificial facilities such as shading screens in the production area. It also prohibits the use of chemically synthesized pesticides or fertilizers during the cultivation process'. Therefore, since it is cultivated without the use of agricultural chemicals, it is reported to possess medicinal properties akin to those of WG [4]. The growth and bioactive compounds of _P. ginseng_ are influenced by the environmental characteristics of the cultivation site, including climate change, soil properties, and microbial communities [5]. Numerous environmental factors impact plant growth and the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in their habitat; however, microorganisms living in the rhizosphere soil exert the most significant influence [6; 7; 8; 9]. The rhizosphere soil represents the interface where plant roots interact with soil-dwelling microorganisms [5; 10; 11]. Microorganisms in rhizosphere soil play crucial roles in pollutant degradation, organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and supplying nutrients to plants [12; 13], and they enhance the secretion of plant hormones, increasing environmental stress resistance [14]. The diversity and composition of microbial communities in rhizosphere soils are closely associated with plant species and soil functionality [15; 16; 17]. Although microbial communities can be very similar in geographically diverse environments [18; 19], they vary in their abilities to support plant nutrient uptake or suppress pathogens through rhizosphere soil microbes. Recently, high-throughput sequencing--a next-generation, culture-independent marker gene sequencing method--has been utilized to examine soil microbial communities. In the metagenomic analysis of CG, variability in the microbial community has been discovered, depending on the site, in CG aged 2-6 years [19; 20]. In the roots, the order of _Proteobacteria-Actinobacteria-Firmicutes-Bacteroidetes_ was observed [21], while in the stems, the order of _Firmicutes-Proteobacteria-Actinobacteria_ was noted [22]. Thus, various microbial communities are distributed in accordance with the growth of each part of the ginseng, playing roles in promoting plant growth and protecting the plant from external stressors [23]. Compared to cultivated ginseng, WSG, which is cultivated in natural forests without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and without the installation of artificial facilities, the environmental conditions of the cultivation site, including climate, soil properties, and microbial communities, are crucial. Accordingly, establishing scientific and systematic data is imperative for selecting WSG cultivation sites. Previous studies have analyzed soil properties and microbial communities across various environments [24; 25; 26].