Gyeonggi-do Launches Investigation into Violations of the Farmland Act

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is launching an investigation into violations of the Farmland Act targeting 31 cities and counties within the province.

On the 26th, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will conduct the "2021 Farmland Usage Survey" until November 30 to crack down on illegal activities such as purchasing farmland for real estate speculation.

The Farmland Usage Survey, officially called the "Survey on the Acquisition, Ownership, and Use of Farmland," was introduced to enforce disposal if acquired farmland is not used for its intended purpose.

This survey targets farmland acquired (through inheritance or sale) within the last 10 years by residents outside the jurisdiction and farmland owned by agricultural corporations.

In particular, for agricultural corporations, the survey will focus on whether actual agricultural management is being conducted, the proportion of agricultural operators among executive officers, and compliance with farmland ownership requirements such as investment limits by farmers.

Additionally, the survey will investigate whether farmland owners are engaged in agricultural management to detect unauthorized fallow land and illegal leasing, while also conducting status checks, guidance, and inspections on farm sheds and embankments, which have seen increasing violations of the Farmland Act recently.

Farm sheds are facilities installed according to Article 3-2 of the Enforcement Rules of the Farmland Act for storing farming materials and machinery directly needed for farm work, simple processing of harvested crops, or temporary rest during farm work. They must be installed with a total floor area of 20㎡ or less, and using them for residential purposes constitutes a violation of the Farmland Act.

Regarding embankments, they must not harm the agricultural management of nearby farmland. Suitable soil for agriculture must be used, and violations of embankment standards that cause damage to adjacent farmland or use of inappropriate soil such as recycled aggregate are grounds for violating the Farmland Act.

Based on the results of the Farmland Usage Survey, illegal ownership or leasing of farmland, unauthorized fallow land, and other violations of the Farmland Act will be subject to administrative measures such as imposing farmland disposal obligations after due hearing procedures, along with criminal charges.

Furthermore, agricultural facilities equipped with solar power installations (such as livestock barns, mushroom cultivation houses, insect breeding houses, etc.) will be thoroughly investigated in cooperation with the Korea Energy Agency to focus on whether they are used for agricultural management.

If facilities such as livestock barns, mushroom cultivation houses, or insect breeding houses are found not to be used for agricultural management, measures such as farmland disposal, restoration orders, criminal charges, and suspension of Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) issuance will be pursued, along with additional actions under relevant laws.

Kim Young-ho, Director of the Agricultural Policy Division of the province, emphasized, "Through this year's strengthened Farmland Usage Survey, we will do our best to prevent farmland from becoming a target of real estate speculation and to realize the principle of 'Gyeongja Yujeon (耕者有田)'?the right of farmers to own the land they cultivate?as stipulated in the Constitution."

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