Yangpyeong County Fails to Act for Two Years Despite Knowing Kim Gunhee's Brother Left Farmland Fallow

Purchased in 2019... Detected in Farmland Status Survey
Yangpyeong County: "Disposal Delayed Due to Large Number of Violations"

It has been found that Yangpyeong County has not taken any action for two years regarding the idle farmland purchased and left fallow by Kim Jinwoo, the older brother of First Lady Kim Gunhee, near the revised endpoint of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway.

According to data obtained by Assemblywoman Lim Mi-ae, a proportional representative of the Democratic Party of Korea and a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, from Yangpyeong County and Seongnam City on the 26th, Kim Jinwoo acquired 43 square meters of farmland (designated as rice paddy) in Byeongsan-ri, Gangsang-myeon, Yangpyeong County in November 2019 for "weekend and experience farming" purposes, thereby obtaining farmland acquisition eligibility. Later, in a 2023 farmland status survey, Yangpyeong County confirmed that this land was left fallow without being cultivated.

Kim Jinwoo, the older brother of First Lady Kim Gunhee, is seen leaving the office of the Minjungki Special Investigation Team, which is investigating allegations related to the First Lady, located in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 31. Photo by Yonhap News

Under the Farmland Act, if someone is found not to be cultivating farmland without a valid reason, the local government may, after a hearing, impose an obligation to dispose of the land, issue a disposal order, or levy a compulsory execution fine. These measures are intended to prevent farmland from being used for speculation and to monitor its use according to its intended purpose.

However, even after two years since the status survey, Yangpyeong County has not taken any action. Yangpyeong County told Yonhap News, "There were so many parcels identified in the 2023 and 2024 status surveys that the disposal procedures have been delayed as we process them sequentially," adding, "In the 2023 survey alone, over 1,000 parcels were found to be in violation of the Farmland Act. The disposal process for Kim Jinwoo’s idle farmland is likely to begin either at the end of this year or early next year."

There are also indications that Kim Jinwoo made a substantial profit from the sale of farmland. In April 2016, he purchased two parcels of farmland (2,230 square meters) in Dochon-dong, Jungwon-gu, Seongnam City for "agricultural management" purposes and sold them just six months later. According to Assemblywoman Lim’s office, during this process, he and a business partner acquired a total of four parcels, including forest land, and sold them for 13 billion won, making a profit of 9 billion won.

Assemblywoman Lim stated, "Farmland is at the core of the illicit accumulation of wealth by the Kim Gunhee family," and criticized, "Farmland is becoming prey for speculators, yet the government and local authorities are failing to properly manage or penalize such activities." She added, "The statute of limitations for farmland speculation crimes should be extended, and penalties and recovery of illicit gains should be strengthened," emphasizing, "In particular, institutional measures are needed to prevent farmland acquired for weekend or experience farming purposes from being abused for speculation."