The South Korean government has completed initial baseline checks on roughly 97 percent of targeted properties in an ongoing nationwide farmland survey, according to data discussed during a consultative meeting. The comprehensive inspection, which began on May 18, 2026, focuses on agricultural land acquired since 1996 to weed out speculative holdings and ensure compliance with the constitutional principle that land should be farmed by its owners.
Scope of the Farmland Investigation
According to data outlined by Democratic Party lawmaker Moon Geum-ju, the initial review examined approximately 10.13 million parcels using a cross-referencing system of administrative data, agricultural registries, and aerial photographs. Out of those parcels, about 2.84 million—accounting for 27 percent—were flagged as potential violations of the Farmland Act.
Lawmakers and officials emphasize that a flagged parcel does not automatically confirm illegal activity. Instead, the preliminary sorting identifies anomalies that require further field inspections and supplementary reviews to determine whether active farming is occurring, whether lease arrangements are legal, or if extenuating circumstances apply.
Balancing Speculation Control and Rural Realities
The aggressive enforcement drive has sparked concern among aging farming communities and property owners worried about falling land prices or sudden disposition orders. Critics and local residents point out that many rural landowners are elderly, suffer from illness, or lease their plots to neighbors due to long-standing farming customs.
Addressing these concerns, the government and ruling party have signaled plans to introduce flexible measures. Lawmakers noted that standard field practices—such as elderly farmers scaling back labor or mutually exchanging plots—will not automatically trigger harsh penalties. Instead, authorities intend to offer grace periods, correction opportunities, and self-correction windows for minor or customary infractions.
Addressing Loopholes in Agricultural Facilities
Beyond traditional leasing arrangements, the survey also targets speculative ventures disguised as agricultural structures. According to regional reports, certain properties along the southwestern coast and reclaimed lands have utilized mushroom cultivation houses, insect-breeding facilities, and agrivoltaic solar projects primarily for commercial power generation rather than farming.
To combat these loopholes without penalizing legitimate farmers, officials are expanding on-the-ground interviews and local inquiries alongside digital mapping. Furthermore, authorities plan to extend tenant-farming regularization periods through November 15, 2026, allowing compliant lease conversions and enabling landowners to place unused plots into the state-run Farmland Bank for management or temporary lease waivers.
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