Sejong-si, Illegal Farmland Conversion Targeting Development Opportunities Detected

Provided by Sejong City

[Asia Economy (Sejong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Sejong City has uncovered illegal activities such as the unlawful conversion of farmland aimed at capitalizing on development prospects.

The city announced on the 24th that, as a result of investigating the usage status of farmland and forestland within the jurisdiction, which were judged to have development potential, illegal activities were confirmed in 166 out of the total 1,231 parcels surveyed.

First, from the 1st of last month to the 14th of this month, the city investigated the usage status of 816 parcels of farmland in Yeongi-myeon, Yeonseo-myeon, Geumnam-myeon, and Jeonui-myeon, where illegal activities were suspected based on official records. They detected 17 parcels where general corporations had obtained farmland conversion permits, then withdrew them and sold to multiple parties, 9 parcels of illegal conversion, and 118 parcels left fallow.

Among these, two corporations that subdivided and sold farmland to multiple parties have been referred for investigation, and restoration orders were issued for the illegally converted and fallow farmland. The city plans to issue disposition orders after hearings for the farmland subject to restoration orders.

In the forestland sector, usage status investigations were conducted on 381 parcels shared by more than 20 people and 34 parcels within land transaction permission zones. As a result, 3 parcels of forest damage and 19 parcels of non-compliance with forest management plans were identified.

The city plans to investigate and refer the 3 parcels with forest damage to the prosecution, and will take administrative measures such as enforcement orders for the 19 parcels that failed to comply with forest management plans.

A city official stated, “We plan to expand the investigation to farmland in six other eup and myeon areas within the jurisdiction besides the four areas where investigations have been completed,” adding, “We will also conduct annual status surveys on forestland and take administrative actions if illegal activities such as forest damage are discovered.”

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