Misunderstandings and Concerns Over Comprehensive Farmland Survey to Be Addressed... Dedicated "Counseling Center" Opens Oct. 12

Guidance on Follow-Up Measures for the Comprehensive Farmland Survey and More

A counseling center will begin operations on October 12 to address misunderstandings and concerns that may arise during the comprehensive farmland survey.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Rural Community Corporation announced on October 11 that the “Farmland Survey Counseling Center” will open on October 12 to answer the public’s questions about the survey and actively communicate with people in the field.

The corporation will operate the counseling center as a resource for addressing misunderstandings and concerns that may arise during the comprehensive farmland survey. It will help not only farmers but also the general public understand the system accurately, and will provide guidance on the measures and support available to prevent unjust disadvantages or cases of unfair treatment.

The center will provide guidance on ▲checking whether cases fall under the three major types of speculation or constitute serious illegal conversion of farmland; ▲providing accurate information about government policies; and ▲connecting farmers who face difficulties in farming, including older farmers, with support through the Farmland Bank program, such as lease consignment, purchases of farmland for public rental, and farmland pensions.

There are three major types of speculation that may lead to disposition. They are: ▲acquiring farmland in a land transaction permit zone after submitting a farming plan, then leaving it unused or leasing it out without farming it, excluding cases of inheritance; ▲buying shares in farmland through an auction or other means and submitting a false farming plan with the intention of reselling them, then leaving the land unused or leasing it out; and ▲setting up an agricultural corporation to acquire farmland, then dividing it into smaller parcels for sale or leasing it out to generate real estate income. Serious illegal conversion includes illegally installing non-agricultural facilities, such as campgrounds and storage yards, in agricultural promotion zones.

On October 8, as controversy over the farmland survey continued, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it would not impose dispositions based on the results of this survey for ordinary violations of the Farmland Act that do not involve speculation. This revised supplementary measure came 16 days after the ruling and opposition parties announced corrective measures, including a “voluntary compliance period,” on September 21.

Members of the public seeking advice can call the center’s main telephone number. The government plans to hear directly from people in the field about their inquiries and difficulties by connecting the center with farmers’ organizations at a later date.

Yoon Won-seup, head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Farmland Survey and System Improvement Task Force and director general for agricultural policy, said, “The counseling center will provide accurate information about the comprehensive farmland survey and address the public’s questions and concerns. We will ensure that farmers receive the necessary guidance and support so they do not experience unnecessary anxiety or disadvantages during the survey.”

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