South Korea’s government and the Democratic Party of Korea agreed on September 21 to distinguish speculative farmland violations from minor cases arising from customary leases, aging, inheritance and unavoidable fallow land. Owners whose cases do not show clear speculative intent will receive an opportunity to correct violations, place land under Farmland Bank trusteeship or regularize leases so existing cultivators can continue farming. The nationwide survey began on May 18 and covers 1.36 million hectares acquired since the Farmland Act took effect in 1996. Its initial review identified 2.84 million parcels, or about 27%, as suspected cases, although the figure does not represent confirmed violations. Clearly speculative acquisitions and serious illegal conversions will remain subject to existing law. The government and ruling party plan to prepare a special measures act by year-end, target its implementation for the first quarter of next year and introduce Farmland Act amendments in the second quarter. The measures also include selective retroactive approval for qualifying conversions, while facilities used as restaurants or solely for solar power generation will have to restore their original use.