Chungnam, Survey on Farmland Owned by Non-Residents and Agricultural Corporations

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province announced on the 23rd that it will conduct a full-scale survey by November to examine the agricultural management status and illegal leasing of farmland acquired by non-resident owners and farmland owned by agricultural corporations within the province.

The survey targets a total of 214,200 parcels (34,452 hectares), including 206,293 parcels (32,133 hectares) of farmland acquired within the last 10 years where the owner's address differs from the farmland location, and 7,907 parcels (2,319 hectares) owned by agricultural corporations.

The province plans to focus on whether the owners are actively managing the farmland, unauthorized fallow periods, and illegal leasing.

Additionally, a status survey and guidance/inspection will be conducted concurrently on farm sheds and embankments, which have recently seen an increase in violations of the Farmland Act.

According to the province, farm sheds?facilities used for storing agricultural materials or machinery, simple processing of harvested crops, or temporary rest during farm work?must be installed with a total floor area of 20㎡ or less. Using them for residential purposes constitutes a violation of the Farmland Act.

Embankments violate the Farmland Act if they cause damage to nearby farmland or use soil unsuitable for agricultural management, such as recycled aggregates.

The province will also conduct a full survey of livestock barns with solar facilities, mushroom cultivation houses, insect breeding houses, and other facilities to verify whether the farmland is actually used for agricultural management purposes.

After the survey, the province plans to take administrative actions such as imposing farmland disposal obligations through hearing procedures against violations like illegal ownership, illegal leasing, and unauthorized fallow, as well as initiate prosecution.

A provincial official stated, "Through this survey, we will establish order under the Farmland Act and firmly instill the perception that farmland is not a target for speculation."

Meanwhile, following last year's farmland use survey, the province has notified 661 individuals (covering 72 hectares) found violating the Farmland Act to dispose of their farmland and is currently implementing measures such as farmland disposal orders and imposition of enforcement fines.

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