Board of Audit and Inspection: "Improper Direct Payment to Unauthorized Cultivators of National and Public Land"

Board of Audit and Inspection Announces Regular Audit Results of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs... Notifies Related Departments to Recover Direct Payments and Impose Compensation Fees

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Board of Audit and Inspection revealed that income support payments (direct payments) intended to stabilize farmers' income were paid to unauthorized cultivators of national and public land.

According to the Board of Audit and Inspection on the 23rd, the regular audit results of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs uncovered issues in the management of direct payments to unauthorized and illegally leased cultivators of national and public land. From 2018 to 2019, an examination of the appropriateness of direct payments related to national and public land confirmed that 1,152 direct payments totaling 446 million KRW were made to individuals who cultivated national and public land without permission or through illegal leases in 108 cities and counties nationwide.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, it was found that no compensation fees were imposed on those cultivating national and public land without permission, and despite illegal leasing, usage and profit permits were not revoked nor lease contracts terminated.

The Board of Audit and Inspection notified that after additional investigation of the 1,152 cases where direct payments were confirmed to have been made to unauthorized cultivators or illegal lessees of national and public land, measures should be taken to recover the direct payments.

For 275 cases of unauthorized cultivation of state-owned land, additional investigation should be conducted followed by imposition of compensation fees, and for 151 cases of illegal leasing of state-owned land, measures such as revocation of usage and profit permits or termination of lease contracts should be prepared after further investigation.

For 429 cases of unauthorized cultivation of public land, compensation fees should be imposed after additional investigation, and for 88 cases of illegal leasing of public land, appropriate measures such as revocation of usage and profit permits should be taken.

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