In a recent directive, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to enhance the current investigation into the enforcement orders for farmland that is not being used for agriculture. This initiative is set against the backdrop of an ongoing concern about individuals obtaining farmland under false pretenses, as many are allegedly acquiring agricultural land with the intention of farming but failing to do so. President Lee emphasized that those who mislead the government must face consequences in accordance with constitutional principles regarding farmland ownership, which stipulates that only those who farm can own agricultural land.

The South Korean agriculture ministry has reported that in the years 2018 to 2023, approximately 1,000 individuals received sell orders annually for farmland that they owned but did not farm. Just in 2023, 5,855 individuals were notified of their obligation to sell, with 1,416 failing to comply within the designated timeframe, resulting in mandatory sell orders covering an area equivalent to about half the size of Yeouido, one of Seoul's major districts. Financial penalties for non-compliance with these sell orders have amounted to significant sums, with fines reaching over 11 billion won this year alone for repeated violations.

The agriculture ministry's prior investigations have primarily targeted high-risk groups suspected of violating farmland laws, such as agricultural corporations and foreign nationals. However, with the president's push towards a comprehensive survey, there is a rising concern that the number of violations may dramatically increase as more cases come under scrutiny. The ministry is preparing to allocate additional resources to ensure the successful implementation of this wider investigation, which will likely unveil a broader range of breaches within the agricultural land ownership framework.