Three novel strains, designated Gsoil 034(T), Gsoil 060(T) and Jip13(T), isolated from soil from a ginseng field and compost in South Korea, were characterized using a polyphasic approach to clarify their taxonomic positions. These isolates were found to be Gram-negative, aerobic and heterotrophic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these three isolates formed a cluster with the monospecific genus Olivibacter within the family Sphingobacteriaceae but were clearly separated from Olivibacter sitiensis. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between these isolates and the type strain of O. sitiensis were in the range 88.5-90.1%. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data (MK-7 as the major isoprenoid quinone and iso-C(15:0) 2-OH and/or C(16:1)omega 7c, iso-C(15:0) and iso-C(17:0) 3-OH as the major fatty acids) supported the affiliation of these strains to the genus Olivibacter. However, the results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed phenotypic differentiation of the isolates from Olivibacter species with validly published names. Therefore strains Gsoil 034(T), Gsoil 060(T) and Jip13(T) represent three novel species of the genus Olivibacter, for which the names Olivibacter soli sp. nov. (type strain Gsoil 034(T) =KCTC 12645(T) = LMG 23492(T)), Olivibacter ginsengisoli sp. nov. (type strain Gsoil 060(T) =KCTC 12646(T) = LMG 23491(T)) and Olivibacter terrae sp. nov. (type strain Jip13(T) = KCTC 12644(T) = LMG 23494(T)) are proposed.