The People Power Party on Sunday called for an investigation into Seongdong District Chief Jung Won-oh as "the first target" after President Lee Jae-myung said the previous day that farmland not being cultivated should be subject to disposal orders. The opposition's counterattack has escalated the real estate war of words as President Lee expands the battlefront to farmland.
Rep. Kim Jae-seop of the People Power Party wrote on Facebook, "District Chief Jung is either a farmer with 57 years of experience or a 'speculator' as Lee Jae-myung puts it." He added, "Take this opportunity to designate District Chief Jung as the first target for a comprehensive investigation."
Kim also stated, "If the allegations of District Chief Jung's violations of the Farmland Act are proven true, it should not end with farmland disposal but lead to a criminal investigation."
Park Sung-hoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, said, "District Chief Jung received 38 pyeong of rice paddies in Yeosu when he was four months old and 599 pyeong of farmland at age two. Public records show him as a farmer with 57 years of experience who purchased rice paddies at age zero."
Park added, "It is inconceivable that he personally farmed in Yeosu while serving as an aide and Seongdong District Chief after leaving Yeosu for Seoul following his high school graduation in 1986."
Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the same party said of District Chief Jung, "Even a 'farming prodigy' couldn't do this." He also mentioned Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Sung-sook, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, and Health and Welfare Minister Jung Eun-kyung.
In response, Democratic Party Rep. Chae Hyun-il countered, "This is an ignorant and unjust political attack that fails to verify basic facts and shows a lawmaker who doesn't even understand the fundamental legal principles of legislation."
Chae said, "The current Farmland Act's strict self-cultivation obligations and restrictions took effect on January 1, 1996. The farmland acquired in 1968 and 1970 was never subject to disposal requirements in the first place. This is a malicious political attack."
Chae also wrote, "Article 23 of the Farmland Act guarantees 'assumption of public office through election' as an exception for farmland leasing and consignment management. Not personally tilling the soil during his term as elected district chief is a perfectly legal matter with no legal issues."
He added, "Multiple attempts have been made to sell this land, but it remains unsold because no one wants to buy it as it consists of terraced paddies on landlocked property." Chae stated he would take civil and criminal legal action if Rep. Kim does not retract his claims and officially apologize.
In response to the rebuttal, Rep. Kim fired back on Facebook, "So is District Chief Jung a farmer or a speculator? The excuses are lengthy, but there's no need for long explanations—just undergo a comprehensive investigation as President Lee Jae-myung ordered. If there are legal violations, face an investigation too."
Kim added, "The Democratic Party is spreading conspiracy theories about who is behind my allegations. My backer is President Lee Jae-myung, who ordered a crackdown on speculators engaging in land speculation through farmland."