Paddy fields play an important role in the biodiversity conservation of agroecosystems as man-made wetlands. This study focused on the floristic composition and characteristics of paddy fields in South Korea. The flora surveys were conducted in 33 areas in nine provinces at two times (June and August) in 2016. The results showed that the vascular plants of the paddy fields in South Korea included 389 taxa, composed of 51 families, 219 genera, 350 species, four subspecies, 30 varieties, and five forms. Among the 51 families, Gramineae was the most diverse in species (76 taxa), followed by Compositae (61 taxa), Leguminosae (32 taxa), Cyperaceae (27 taxa), Polygonaceae (15 taxa), and Scrophulariaceae (12 taxa). Based on the occurrence frequency of each species, Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koel. (100%), and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv. (100%) were the highest, followed by Acalypha australis L. (97.0%), Bidens frondosa L. (97.0%), Alopecurus aequalis Sobol. (97.0%), Rorippa palustris (Leyss.) Besser (93.9%), Ludwigia prostrata Roxb. (93.9%), Lemna perpusilla Torr. (93.9%), Mazus pumilus (Burm. f.) Steenis(90.9%), Rorippa palustris(Leyss.) Besser(87.9%), Eclipta prostrata(L.) L.(87.9%), Commelina communis L.(87.9%), Artemisia princeps Pamp.(84.8%), Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers.(84.8%), Cyperus microiria Steud.(84.8%), and Aneilema keisak(Hassk.) Hand.-Mazz. (81.8%). The biological type of paddy fields in South Korea was determined to be Th-R5-D4-t type. Rare plants were found in six taxa: Aristolochina contorta Bunge, Penthorum chinense Pursh, Sagittaria sagittifolia subsp. leucopetala (Miq.) Hartog, Ottelia alismoides (L.) Pers., Pseudoraphis ukishiba Ohwi, and Acorus calamus L. Eighty taxa contained naturalized plants composed of 15 families, 54 genera, 76 species, three varieties, and one form. The urbanization and naturalization indices were 24.8% and 20.6%, respectively.