Jinju City Establishes and Operates Farmland Committee to Eradicate Farmland Speculation

Appointment of 171 Members, Establishment of 17 Locations, Agricultural Land Acquisition Qualification Review Starting from the 18th

Jinju Agricultural Technology Center.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, will establish and operate a Farmland Committee starting from the 18th, following the revision of the Farmland Act to systematize farmland acquisition qualification reviews and strengthen post-management.

The city will set up 16 Farmland Committees in eup and myeon areas, and one integrated committee at the Agricultural Technology Center for dong areas. The committee members consist of 171 individuals, including local farmers recommended by eup, myeon, and dong heads, representatives recommended by agricultural-related organizations, non-profit private organizations, and farmland policy experts.

The review targets of the committee include those intending to acquire farmland in land transaction permission zones, out-of-area cultivators (excluding adjacent cities/counties), co-acquirers of farmland plots shared by three or more people, agricultural corporations, foreigners, and overseas Koreans with foreign nationality.

The committee comprehensively considers farming conditions such as the applicant's cultivation environment and willingness, the utilization status of owned farmland, and the condition of the farmland to be acquired when conducting reviews.

Other major amendments to the Farmland Act include the reorganization and establishment of application forms for farmland acquisition qualification certificates, mandatory submission of certification documents, mandatory application upon farmland ledger changes, and regular farmland utilization surveys.

Additionally, the processing period for issuing farmland acquisition qualification certificates will be extended to within 14 days if subject to the Farmland Committee review, within 7 days for agricultural management purposes and weekend experiential farming, and within 4 days for farmland conversion purposes.

A city official stated, “Through the substantial operation of the Farmland Committee, we will do our best to supplement the shortcomings of the farmland acquisition qualification review system, eradicate farmland speculation, and ensure farmland transactions are conducted centered on actual cultivators.”