President Lee Jae Myung: "A comprehensive farmland survey is essential—I won't shy away from it"

[Financial News, New York (U.S.) = Choi Jong-geun, Reporter]President Lee Jae Myung, who was visiting New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, emphasized on the 23rd local time that "a comprehensive farmland survey is essential to prevent farmland speculation and ensure that farmland is properly used."
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee wrote, "The principle that farmland should be farmed by those who till it, as well as the government's efforts to uphold it, is mandated by the Constitution—in other words, it is the people's command."
He stressed, "Every administration has avoided this because of resistance and opposition, but I will not shy away from it."
Lee said, "The law established by the people and the National Assembly requires the forced sale of farmland purchased after declaring an intention to farm it but then left idle while waiting only for land prices to rise, or illegally leased out, for the purpose of farmland speculation."
He added, "If a law is not going to be followed, it should either not be enacted in the first place or be repealed."
He explained, "I believe I was elected president to change this misguided world—in which cunning people who violate the law whenever they think they can get away with it make money through farmland speculation, while those who follow the law suffer a relative disadvantage—and to pursue real estate reform."
Lee said, "Please do not misunderstand me," adding, "Farmland is not subject to forced sale when an elderly farmer can no longer work the land or when the farmland was inherited."
He continued, "People engaged in farmland speculation often lie and incite others, attacking the government and me in an attempt to derail sanctions against themselves and bring those not subject to the sanctions over to their side."
Lee added, "As approval ratings fall, it becomes increasingly difficult to pursue reforms. Even when there are more obstacles and opposition grows, we must do what needs to be done. I trust the vast majority of law-abiding citizens."
He urged Song Mi-ryeong, minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), to "explain the matter clearly so there are no misunderstandings," and said, "Thank you for working hard to stabilize prices ahead of Chuseok and for diligently handling agricultural, livestock and fisheries administration."

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