Sejong City takes strict action against speculation and illegal activities... Minor violations will be notified of voluntary maintenance

Strict response to speculation and illegal activities... Minor violations will be notified of voluntary maintenance

(Sejong = Yonhap News) Reporter Yang Young-seok = Sejong City announced on the 28th that it will pursue a complete survey of farmland by December in line with the follow-up improvement direction prepared by the government.

During the comprehensive investigation process, the city plans to respond by distinguishing between illegal activities for the purpose of speculation and minor violations that occurred in rural areas.

We plan to issue orders for restoration or disposal of farmland in accordance with relevant laws and regulations for serious illegal use, such as acquiring farmland through illegal means to obtain market profits or development profits, or setting up campsites or open storage areas in agricultural promotion areas.

For farmland that is difficult to cultivate due to old age, disease, etc., or customary leases, we check the circumstances of the owner and cultivator, and provide guidance on voluntary maintenance methods such as resuming cultivation permitted by current law, converting to a legal lease, and entrusting agricultural land to a bank.

The city completed a basic survey on 52,954 parcels (6,291 ha) of farmland from May to July, and will conduct an in-depth survey on 35,890 parcels (4,165 ha) of selected land until December.

In an in-depth investigation, town/myeon staff and National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service farmland investigators check the site together.

Rather than determining whether there has been a violation based solely on the results of the investigation, we plan to comprehensively review the explanatory data of the owner and cultivator, as well as the actual status of use.

Matters requiring system improvement will be handled in accordance with legal standards to be established in the future.

In relation to this, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs decided to enact a special measure law to transform illegally diverted farmland by the end of the year at a party-government consultation on the 21st.

The party and government plan to take action against illegal acts for speculative purposes in accordance with laws and principles, but plan to prepare measures to normalize violations caused by inheritance, aging, and customary leases.

Kim Hoesan, director of the city's Urban-Rural Coexistence Bureau, said, "We will provide sufficient explanation and opportunities for voluntary maintenance so that farmers and actual cultivators are not disadvantaged, and we will strive to ensure that difficulties in the field lead to system improvement."