40% of High-Ranking Officials in Moon Administration Own Farmland... A Country Rife with 'Fake Farmers'

Easy Farmland Acquisition by Non-Farmers... A Breeding Ground for Speculation
Farmers' Group 'Nongminui Gil' Calls for "Comprehensive Survey on Farmland Usage"
"Forceful Purchase of Illegal Farmland... Uphold the Principle of Land for Farmers"

Saplings were planted on the 10th on a piece of land in Gwarim-dong, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, where allegations of land speculation by some employees of Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) in the Gwangmyeong and Siheung new towns have been raised.
Siheung - Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Most of the land speculation by employees of Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) has targeted farmland, and it has been revealed that there are numerous ‘fake farmers’ even among high-ranking public officials and members of the National Assembly. It is pointed out that the easy acquisition of farmland by non-agricultural persons and gaps in farmland regulations are creating fertile ground for speculation.

According to the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) on the 10th, one in four members of the National Assembly owns farmland either in their own name or their spouse’s. According to the data on the farmland ownership status of 300 members of the 21st National Assembly, released by CCEJ in February, 76 out of 300 members (25.3%) own farmland. The total area of farmland owned is approximately 399,193㎡ (about 120,968 pyeong), averaging 5,253㎡ (about 1,592 pyeong) per person.

Among high-ranking government officials, many also owned farmland. CCEJ surveyed 1,862 out of 1,865 high-ranking government officials subject to the Government Official Ethics Committee’s ‘Regular Asset Change Disclosure’ as of last October, and found that 719 (38.6%) owned farmland as of March. The total farmland area they owned amounted to 311 hectares (about 942,000 pyeong).

On October 19 last year, Oh Se-hyung, team leader of the Economic Policy Bureau at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, is speaking at a press conference announcing the investigation results on farmland ownership by high-ranking officials of the Moon Jae-in administration, held at the auditorium of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

In the political arena, there is a dispute over former President Moon Jae-in’s illegal acquisition of farmland. On the 9th, Ahn Byung-gil, a member of the People Power Party, criticized the purchase of a residence site in Habu-myeon, Yangsan City, Gyeongnam, by President Moon, saying, "The agricultural management plan stated that there was 11 years of farming experience, but it was actually asphalt," and questioned, "How is this different from LH employees who submitted false plans and acquired farmland for speculation?"

In response, the Blue House dismissed the allegations as "baseless suspicions." Kang Min-seok, spokesperson, stated in a written briefing that there was "no illegality or irregularity" regarding the relocation and purchase of the presidential residence site. Kang explained, "The purchase was conducted legally in accordance with the Farmland Act and related laws and procedures," adding, "It is no different from the process that citizens go through when preparing to return to farming or rural living."

Farmers’ anger has reached a peak. The farmers’ coalition ‘Farmers’ Path,’ consisting of six farmers’ organizations, held a press conference in front of the Blue House fountain on the same day regarding LH employees’ farmland speculation, stating, "The core of land speculation is farmland speculation," and demanded, "Conduct a full survey of farmland usage and have the state purchase illegally owned farmland."

Farmers’ Path said, "The Constitution stipulates the principle of ‘Gyeongja Yujeon,’ which allows only farmers who cultivate the land to own farmland, but the Farmland Act has exceptions that allow anyone to own farmland by simply submitting an agricultural management plan," adding, "The subordinate law violates the Constitution and does not even verify actual farming later, turning the law into a tool that reduces farmland to an object of profit-making speculation."

Farmers’ Path urged, "Clarify the definition of farmers and restrict farmland ownership to only those who farm," and called for "a complete revision of the Farmland Act to align with the spirit of the Constitution." They emphasized, "Conduct a full survey of farmland ownership and usage, and for farmland owned by non-farmers, the state should purchase plots suspected of speculation at official land prices, and others at market prices, to enhance the public nature of farmland."

On the 8th, farmers affiliated with the National Federation of Farmers’ Associations Busan-Gyeongnam Federation held a press conference condemning farmland speculation in front of the main gate of the LH headquarters in Chungmugong-dong, Jinju City, Gyeongnam. They expressed outrage that 98.6% of the land speculated on by LH employees involved in the 3rd New Town development was farmland, stating, "We are dumbfounded that farmland is one of the easiest targets for speculation." They also called for a complete revision of the Farmland Act to prevent recurrence of farmland speculation and to prepare for the food crisis by allowing only farmers who cultivate the land to own farmland.

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