South Korean government announces farmland investigation follow-up measures

farmland investigation agricultural land law land speculation farmland bank rural policy

The South Korean government and the Democratic Party have announced follow-up measures regarding a nationwide farmland investigation to address concerns in rural communities. While the investigation identified approximately 2.84 million parcels of land as suspected of violating the Farmland Act, officials clarified that the policy aims to distinguish between malicious speculation and customary violations.

Strict measures will be taken against clear cases of land speculation, such as acquiring land through false farming plans for profit or illegal conversion of agricultural zones. However, for minor or customary violations—including land left fallow due to aging, inheritance, or traditional leasing practices—the government will offer opportunities for normalization. Owners can avoid mandatory disposal by entrusting their land to the Farmland Bank for management and leasing.

To prevent immediate disruption, a special period for rectifying lease violations has been extended until November 15. Additionally, the government plans to pursue a special act by the end of the year to legalize certain non-serious illegal land conversions and intends to revise the Farmland Act by the first half of next year to better reflect current rural realities, such as an aging farming population.

Entities

Democratic Party of Korea · Farmland Bank · Korea Rural Community Corporation · Kwon Chil-seung · Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs · National Assembly of South Korea · People Power Party · Song Mi-ryung

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The lease special rectification period has been extended to November 15. www.namdonews.com · www.sisajournal.com · www.mbn.co.kr
[● 2 SOURCES] Serious illegal land conversions in agricultural promotion areas will be subject to restoration orders. www.namdonews.com · www.mbn.co.kr
[● 3 SOURCES] Owners who cannot farm directly due to inheritance or aging can defer disposal obligations by entrusting land to the Farmland Bank. www.namdonews.com · www.sisajournal.com · www.mbn.co.kr
[● 2 SOURCES] The government aims to enact a special law by the end of the year to provide legal grounds for land normalization. www.sisajournal.com · www.hani.co.kr
[● 2 SOURCES] The government will consider post-hoc legalization for non-serious illegal land conversions that meet certain requirements. www.namdonews.com · www.mbn.co.kr
[● 5 SOURCES] The government and the Democratic Party will strictly punish clear speculation while providing guidance and institutional improvements for customary violations. www.jnilbo.com · www.namdonews.com · www.sisajournal.com · www.hani.co.kr · www.mbn.co.kr
[● 4 SOURCES] Speculative activities include submitting false farming plans to acquire land for capital gains or development profits. www.jnilbo.com · www.namdonews.com · www.sisajournal.com · www.mbn.co.kr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 2.84 million plots were classified as suspected of violating the Farmland Act during the investigation. www.sisajournal.com