[Exclusive][Free Pass Farmland Qualification③] 3rd New Towns, Certificate Issuance Rate Nears 100%

The indiscriminate issuance of farmland acquisition qualification certificates appears to be no exception in the planned sites of the 3rd phase new towns in the Seoul metropolitan area. The issuance rate of farmland acquisition qualification certificates in five local governments in Gyeonggi-do, including the 3rd phase new towns, was also close to 100% over the past five years (2017 to March 2021).

According to data exclusively obtained by Asia Economy on the 22nd through the office of Kim Eun-hye, a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the People Power Party, titled 'Annual Application and Issuance Numbers of Gyeonggi-do Farmland Acquisition Qualification Certificates in the Last Five Years,' Namyangju City, which includes the Wangsuk District, received a total of 9,670 applications for farmland acquisition qualification certificates during this period, of which 9,617 were issued. The issuance rate compared to applications reached 99.4%. In Hanam City, which includes the Gyosan District, there were 1,991 applications and 1,969 issuances during the same period. Notably, since 2018, every single application for farmland acquisition qualification certificates in Hanam City was issued without exception.

In Goyang Deogyang-gu, where the Changneung District is located, and Bucheon City, which includes the Daejang District, there was not a single case of issuance refusal. In Goyang Deogyang-gu, the number of certificates issued were △1,781 in 2017 △1,500 in 2018 △1,222 in 2019 △1,281 in 2020, and 346 certificates were issued up to March this year. In Bucheon City, all 520 applications during the same period were issued certificates.

The situation was not much different in the Gwangmyeong-Siheung District, which sparked controversy over land speculation by employees of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) and other public officials. In Gwangmyeong City, 1,394 applications were received over five years, and 1,369 certificates were issued. The issuance rate was 98.2%. From 2017 to 2019, the issuance rate was 100%, but last year, out of 357 applications, 336 were issued, lowering the rate to 94.1%. However, this year, up to March, 148 out of 152 applications (97.4%) were issued, raising the rate again.

In Siheung City, certificates were issued for 6,892 out of 6,903 applications over five years. It was confirmed that all 523 applications submitted this year were issued certificates.