The Blue House has taken steps to address concerns surrounding the nationwide investigation of agricultural land. The focus of the investigation is to identify speculative farmland, and officials emphasized that they will not uniformly dispose of land owned by elderly individuals or those unable to farm due to inheritance or other unavoidable reasons.
Lee Young-soo, the Blue House Secretary for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, appeared on the Blue House's YouTube program 'Fact Room' on September 22, stating, "I apologize for causing anxiety among farmers," while acknowledging that while agricultural land prices are trending downward, it is not accurate to attribute this solely to the investigation.
According to Lee, agricultural land transactions have increased by 2.2% compared to the same period last year, while prices have decreased by 4.4%. He noted that since the 2021 speculation scandal involving the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), regulations on agricultural land have been tightened, resulting in an average annual price drop of about 9%. He explained that the recent decline in prices is actually less severe than in previous years.
Regarding the criteria for identifying speculative land, Lee stated, "This investigation aims to capture only those related to speculation," specifying three categories: land acquired within designated transaction approval zones, land obtained through auctions, and land acquired by creating false agricultural corporations.
He added, "Only land that has been illegally leased or left fallow will be classified as speculative, and most land will not fall under this category."
On the topic of elderly and inherited farmland, he said, "Individuals over 60 who have farmed for more than five years are allowed to lease their land to relatives or acquaintances," assuring that inherited farmland can be retained. He explained that inherited land under 1 hectare can be entrusted to relatives or friends, and it is also possible to designate specific individuals for delegation through the land bank.
In response to claims that the government would force the sale of farmland, he stated, "If farmers do not want to sell, they do not have to. That is a decision for the farmers to make," adding that the government is preparing a budget to alleviate the burdens on these individuals.
Addressing accusations of attempting to buy farmland at low prices, he countered, "This is an exaggerated claim, bordering on incitement," and dismissed suggestions of a communist agenda as baseless. He clarified that the land bank purchases land at market value based on appraisals, but noted that land deemed speculative will be acquired based on its publicly assessed value.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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