The distribution of the residual stress in the weld joint of HQ130 grade high strength steel was investigated by means of finite element method (FEM) using ANSYS software. Welding was carried out using gas shielded arc welding with a heat input of 16 kJ/cm. The FEM analysis on the weld joint reveals that there is a stress gradient around the fusion zone of weld joint. The instantaneous residual stress on the weld surface goes up to 800～1000MPa and it is 500～600 MPa, below the weld. The stress gradient near the fusion zone is higher than any other location in the surrounding area. This is attributed as one of the significant reasons for the development of cold cracks at the fusion zone in the high strength steel. In order to avoid such welding cracks, the thermal stress in the weld joint has to be minimized by controlling the weld heat input.