Delayed Response to Unauthorized Occupation of Irrigation and Drainage Channels Built with Taxpayer Money
Repeated Passive Administrative Guidance... Farmer Losses Mount
Corporation Says, "No Legal Grounds for Enforcement, Filing Complaints Is Burdensome"
An irrigation canal in Dosan-ri, Noan-myeon, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do was illegally covered with cement and damaged. Provided by reader
Agricultural production infrastructure such as irrigation and drainage channels, built with taxpayer money, is being damaged and occupied without permission in some cases, causing losses for farmers. However, criticism is mounting that Korea Rural Community Corporation, the managing authority, is taking a hands-off approach.
There are calls for urgent and proactive measures, as the corporation has only repeated passive guidance for years, citing the lack of legal grounds to enforce restoration to original condition.
According to Korea Rural Community Corporation and others on the 17th, four complaints have been filed in Naju, Jeollanam-do since 2021 regarding unauthorized occupation and damage of agricultural production infrastructure managed by the corporation. However, there have been no reports to judicial authorities regarding these complaints.
The only recent cases where the corporation filed complaints under the Rural Community Maintenance Act for unauthorized occupation of agricultural facilities were in 2017 and 2020. In both cases, the corporation recognized that illegal structures near Najuho were hindering proper water storage, issued guidance for years, and eventually took legal action. After years of legal disputes, it is reported that the illegal structures at Najuho were restored to their original state last year.
Despite unauthorized damage and occupation of agricultural facilities, the corporation's slow response, let alone filing complaints, is resulting in losses for farmers. For example, Mr. A, who grows rice in Dosan-ri, Noan-myeon, Naju, has suffered for years as Mr. B, who operates a nearby orchard, illegally covered an irrigation channel with cement for convenience, causing water to overflow into Mr. A's rice field.
This irrigation channel was reportedly created by Korea Rural Community Corporation after purchasing the land in the 1990s, as part of a local irrigation and drainage project. Last year, Mr. A filed dozens of complaints to the corporation requesting restoration of the irrigation channel, but the corporation only repeated, "We are taking administrative action according to procedure. However, as we lack legal authority to enforce compulsory measures, the restoration process may be delayed."
Despite accumulating crop damage and other losses due to such illegal activities, the corporation continues to take a hands-off approach, stating, "The perpetrator must take responsibility for compensation and related actions."
Mr. A said, "Even though Korea Rural Community Corporation installed the irrigation channel with taxpayer money, they are failing to manage it, and only innocent farmers are suffering. Every time I file a complaint, they just repeat that they are taking administrative action, but it is frustrating that the victims are left to bear the losses."
The corporation explains that the sluggish administrative response is due to the lack of legal grounds to impose fines and the difficulty of taking legal action against farmers.
According to the Rural Community Maintenance Act, authorities can order restoration to the original state for facilities occupied or installed without just cause. However, there is no legal basis for imposing fines or enforcement charges for acts such as unauthorized covering or illegal construction. As a result, complaints about unauthorized damage to agricultural facilities arise every year in various regions, but no prompt action is taken.
A Korea Rural Community Corporation official said, "Currently, there is no legal basis for imposing fines for facility damage, so we ultimately have to file police complaints, but it is burdensome to take legal action against farmers. We are continuing to provide guidance regarding the complaints."
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