Daegu farmers’ groups said a government-wide farmland investigation has disrupted customary leases, halted transactions and contributed to reported price declines from 700,000-800,000 Korean won to about 300,000 won in some areas. Cheong Wa Dae rejected claims that the investigation was forcing elderly or health-affected farmers to sell, saying only illegally leased or fallow land qualifies as speculative and that the 2021 Korea Land and Housing Corporation farmland speculation scandal was the main cause of broader price weakness. It said farmers may keep their land, the Farmland Bank will buy from willing sellers at market prices, and a budget is being prepared to assist voluntary sales. Official figures cited by Cheong Wa Dae showed transaction volumes up 2.2% year on year while prices fell 4.4%, less than the 9% annual average decline after the scandal.