Han Byeong-do: "We will establish full measures to prevent speculative forces from gaining a foothold in rural areas"
Democratic Party leader Han Byeong-do announced plans to implement measures in collaboration with the government to prevent real estate speculation in rural Korea, particularly regarding agricultural land that is not being farmed.
On the 26th, Han Byeong-do, the leader of the Democratic Party's National Assembly, emphasized that the party would work closely with the government to ensure that speculative forces have no place to operate in rural areas. This statement follows President Lee Jae-myung's directive on the 24th to consider sales orders for unused agricultural land as part of efforts to eradicate real estate speculation in the country. During a policy coordination meeting held in the National Assembly, Han pointed out that President Lee's instruction to conduct a comprehensive survey and review of the sales orders aligns with the constitutional principle of managing agricultural lands by individuals engaged in farming.
Han stated that they aim to cleanse the land of speculation, reaffirming the commitment to restore the integrity associated with the genuine agricultural principle of managing farming grounds. Additionally, the chair of the policy committee, Han Jeong-ae, highlighted plans to review numerous exceptions in current laws to ensure that they support actual agricultural activities. She pointed out that the existing agricultural law allows for extensive recognition of non-farmers owning agricultural land, which has significantly impacted rental farmland, with over 50% of farmland being leased by non-farmers—ultimately leading to rising land prices and making it difficult for young farmers to return to farming.