The government and ruling party are reviewing the establishment of a central-level farmland management agency, using the nationwide comprehensive farmland survey as an opportunity. The plan is to integrate the farmland management system, which is currently dispersed at the local level, to significantly strengthen management and oversight functions. They are also pursuing measures to mandate that inherited farmland not being directly cultivated by the owner be entrusted to or leased through the Korea Rural Community Corporation's Farmland Bank, regardless of size.
According to political circles on the 10th, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs recently held a party-government consultative meeting and formed a consensus on the need to establish a farmland management agency. Through the nationwide comprehensive farmland survey being conducted from May of this year through next year, farmland ownership and usage status will be compiled into a database, and based on this, discussions are underway for a "control tower"-type organization that would comprehensively perform farmland acquisition, management, and oversight functions. Until now, farmland management has been centered on local governments, but there have been persistent criticisms that effectiveness has been lacking due to differences in administrative capacity between regions and personnel shortages.
The party and government plan to establish the legal basis for the farmland management agency after gathering opinions from relevant agencies and experts. However, as discussions are still in the early stages, additional deliberation is needed on the form and scale of the organization. A key ruling party official said, "To restore the constitutional principle of 'land to the tiller'—meaning those who farm should own the farmland—and to block speculation, a continuous farmland management system is necessary," adding that "work is needed to specify the personnel composition and authority of the farmland management agency."
The farmland management agency is also expected to take on functions to block farmland speculation, including investigating suspicious transactions and issuing disposal orders. President Lee Jae-myung pointed out farmland speculation issues at a Cabinet meeting in February and ordered a comprehensive survey and follow-up measures. The party and government also plan to mandate that inherited farmland under 10,000 square meters, which currently has no disposal obligation, be entrusted to or leased through the Farmland Bank. Discussions include supplying inherited farmland that has been left neglected for long periods amid development expectations to returning farmers and young agricultural workers.
