President Lee Jae-myung pushes farmland reform and faces legal debates

President Lee Jae-myung has reaffirmed his commitment to conducting a comprehensive investigation of farmland to prevent speculation and ensure land is used for actual farming. Addressing concerns regarding potential backlash, Lee emphasized that the investigation is a constitutional mandate to uphold the principle that those who farm should own the land. He clarified that the probe is not intended to target inherited land or cases where elderly farmers can no longer work the land, accusing speculators of spreading misinformation to stall reforms.

Minister of Agriculture Song Mi-ryung supported this stance, stating the investigation aims to understand why certain lands remain idle and to improve systems to support actual farmers. She noted that for non-violating cases, enforcement would be deferred to allow for legal usage.

Separately, legal and political debates have emerged regarding the possibility of the prosecution withdrawing charges in Lee's ongoing criminal trials. While some political circles suggest reviewing the cases for potential prosecutorial abuse, legal experts note that under the Criminal Procedure Act, a withdrawal of indictment is only possible before a first-instance verdict is rendered and carries significant legal restrictions regarding re-indictment.