Free Ownership, Leasing, and Utilization of Farmland... Establishing 10 Rural Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones

Announcement of the "Rural Disappearance Response Strategy"
at the Economic Ministers' Meeting

The government has decided to significantly ease farmland regulations to prevent the disappearance of rural areas. By next year, it plans to designate 10 Rural Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones, allowing non-farmers to acquire farmland outside agricultural promotion zones, and to relax regulations within promotion zones by permitting the acquisition of farmland for weekend experiential farming purposes. Additionally, support such as tax benefits for resident companies and investors will also be considered.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced these details in the "Status of Implementation and Future Plans for the Rural Disappearance Response Strategy" at the Economic Ministers' Meeting.

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In March last year, the government established the "Rural Disappearance Response Promotion Strategy," which consists of strategies and detailed tasks aimed at ▲job creation and economic revitalization ▲generation of living and related populations ▲innovation in the quality of life in rural areas, to respond to rural disappearance and lay the groundwork for agricultural and rural development. This plan reviews the progress of that strategy and includes detailed implementation plans for the Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones.

The Rural Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones are a system designed to actively utilize resources possessed by rural areas, such as farmland, mountainous areas, rural convergence industries, and agricultural heritage, to create innovation hubs in the region and enhance vitality. When local governments and the private sector prepare innovation zone development plans, the government significantly relaxes regulations related to farmland ownership, leasing, and utilization within the zone.

First, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs decided to significantly ease regulations related to farmland ownership, leasing, and utilization upon zone designation. Currently, non-farmers cannot acquire farmland regardless of whether it is in a so-called absolute farmland promotion zone. However, in the case of Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones, non-farmers will be allowed to acquire farmland if it is outside the promotion zone. Within promotion zones, acquisition of farmland for weekend experiential farming purposes will be permitted, and farmland leasing, which previously required at least eight years of farming, will be allowed immediately upon acquisition. Furthermore, facilities that can be installed on farmland will be able to be installed through a notification of conversion rather than requiring a permit, simplifying the procedure.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, "This plan primarily specifies support focused on easing farmland regulations under the ministry's jurisdiction. At the same time, we plan to prepare the legal basis for additional regulatory easing and support measures such as tax benefits in cooperation with related ministries to attract companies and investments to the innovation zones."

Previously, the Ministry improved farmland systems by allowing the installation of vertical farms on farmland reflecting the demand for corporate locations to revitalize rural jobs and economy, and by reorganizing small-scale agricultural promotion areas (3 hectares or less). It also newly supports various startups utilizing tangible and intangible rural resources, and from this year, will invest 4 billion KRW by 2028 to create an agricultural industry innovation belt that links and clusters upstream and downstream agricultural industries. To generate living and related populations, a stay-type shelter, which had high demand for weekend experiential farming, was introduced in January this year. Additionally, three new stay-type complex sites linking gardens with residential and exchange spaces will be newly established this year. The government completed the legislation of incentives and penalties for voluntary maintenance of vacant rural houses in July last year, and is focusing on establishing a rural vacant house bank to promote transactions and utilization of vacant houses, as well as expanding support for vacant house regeneration.

Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "We will expand cases that create vitality in areas at risk of disappearance by establishing innovation hubs utilizing rural resources, such as Gochang Sangha Farm. Along with the introduction of Autonomous Regulatory Innovation Zones, we will focus on establishing an institutional foundation, including legal amendments, to ensure smooth implementation of key tasks in the rural disappearance response strategy, such as systematic maintenance and utilization of vacant rural houses."

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