Kwon Ik-wi: "KAMCO Must Sell State-Owned Land to Build Alternative Dormitory"

Refusal to Sell High School Under Same Educational Foundation Due to Unpaid Compensation Fees
"When Refusing Sale of National Land, Valid Reasons Must Be Provided to the Public"

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced that it has conveyed the opinion to Korea Asset Management Corporation (KAMCO) to sell state-owned land for the construction of university dormitory sites. KAMCO had previously refused the request to sell state-owned land intended for the construction of dormitory sites at another university within the same foundation, citing unpaid compensation fees from a high school affiliated with the school foundation.

According to the ACRC on the 28th, School Foundation A requested KAMCO to sell state-owned land to build a replacement dormitory after the university dormitory it operates was seized for a public interest project. KAMCO rejected the sale, stating that some of the state-owned land applied for purchase by Foundation A was co-owned with a third party and included unauthorized buildings.

The foundation then purchased the third-party shared ownership and unauthorized buildings within the requested state-owned land and requested the sale from KAMCO again.

KAMCO again refused, citing an audit report, stating that the high school operated by Foundation A had occupied the state-owned land without permission and must pay the compensation fee imposed in 2012 before the sale could proceed.

The foundation filed a complaint with the ACRC, arguing that KAMCO's refusal to sell was unfair. The foundation claimed that it was unjust to reject the request to sell state-owned land for securing a new site after disposing of the existing dormitory site owned by the foundation for a public interest project.

The ACRC stated that KAMCO's refusal to sell the state-owned land does not fall under the reasons for sale restrictions stipulated in related regulations and that it is desirable for KAMCO to sell the state-owned land to the foundation.

Although the sale of state-owned land is a discretionary act of KAMCO, the unpaid compensation fees of the high school affiliated with the foundation have already been secured through seizure and other means, and the foundation has incurred costs such as purchasing unauthorized buildings to acquire the state-owned land, which should be taken into consideration.

Furthermore, the ACRC viewed that the audit report cited by KAMCO, which states that if compensation fees are imposed on the real estate subject to sale, the property should not be sold without paying the fees, is unrelated to the application for sale of state-owned land for a replacement university dormitory like that of the foundation.

KAMCO accepted the ACRC's opinion and decided to approve the foundation's request to sell the state-owned land.

Kwon Geunsang, Director of the Grievance Handling Bureau at the ACRC, said, "Although the sale of state-owned land is a discretionary act under the State Property Act, even if the sale is refused, reasons that the public can accept must be presented."

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