President Lee: "Comprehensive Farmland Survey Essential... I Won't Avoid It Despite Resistance or Backlash"

“The Principle of Farmer Land Ownership Is Mandated by the Constitution and the People”

“The People Elected Me to Pursue Real Estate Reform”

“Farmland Unfarmable Due to Old Age or Inherited Through Succession Is Not Subject to the Survey”

President Lee Asks Minister Song Miryeong for Thorough Public Explanation

President Lee Jae-myung has reaffirmed his commitment to carrying out a comprehensive farmland survey as scheduled in order to prevent farmland speculation. He stressed that sanctions such as compulsory sales, in accordance with the law, should be imposed on those who acquire farmland and neither actually farm the land nor wait for its price to rise, or who illegally lease it out. By defining the farmland survey as an extension of his ongoing "real estate reform," President Lee made it clear that he will not back down in the face of opposition from stakeholders on the ground.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the "Investment Summit Korea 2026" held at a hotel in New York, USA, on the 23rd (local time). From left, Timothy Geithner, Chairman of Warburg Pincus; Larry Fink, Chairman of BlackRock; President Lee Jae-myung; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup; Emmanuel Roman, CEO of PIMCO. September 23, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

While attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Lee stated on X (formerly Twitter) on the 23rd (local time), “A comprehensive farmland survey is absolutely necessary to prevent farmland speculation and ensure its proper utilization. Government efforts to enforce the principle of farmer land ownership are mandated by the Constitution—this is an order from the people.”

President Lee especially emphasized, “Every previous administration has avoided this issue in the face of resistance and backlash, but I will not shy away from it.” He added, “The law, which was set by the people and the National Assembly, mandates compulsory sales when farmland bought under the pretext of farming is left idle in anticipation of price increases or illegally leased. If there is a law we do not intend to enforce, we should not have made it or should abolish it.”

President Lee also positioned the eradication of farmland speculation as a core task of his administration’s real estate policy. He said, “I believe the people made me president to pursue real estate reform and create a fairer society, where those who adhere to the law are not penalized while crafty violators profit massively from farmland speculation.”

However, President Lee made clear that the comprehensive farmland survey is not an indiscriminate measure to force elderly farmers or heirs to dispose of inherited land. “Farmland that cannot be farmed due to old age or land inherited through succession is not subject to the survey,” he explained, distinguishing speculative farmland from these cases.

Recently, concerns have been raised in rural communities regarding the survey approach, citing issues such as elderly farmers’ ability to manage their land and tenant farmers’ instability. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has stated its policy to rigorously address speculative and serious violations, but to provide normalization opportunities for infractions that have become customary in rural areas.

Regarding these controversies, President Lee claimed, “Many of those involved in farmland speculation are attempting to derail government sanctions by attacking me and the government and rallying those exempt from the measures to their side through misinformation.” He continued, “It becomes increasingly difficult to implement reforms as approval ratings fall. No matter the opposition or backlash, necessary reforms must be carried out. I have trust in the majority of good, law-abiding citizens.”

President Lee also instructed Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, to thoroughly explain the policy to the public. He said, “Please ensure that people fully understand the policy to prevent any misunderstandings. Thank you for your diligent efforts to stabilize prices ahead of Chuseok and for your hard work in agricultural, livestock, and fisheries administration.”

The government’s comprehensive farmland survey is being promoted to determine the actual ownership and utilization status of farmland and to identify speculative holdings and illegal use. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to use the survey to build a farmland-related data system and revise policies so that land can be allocated to genuine farmers, such as young people and professional farmers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.