Lee, farmers at odds over farmland survey, trade pact
President Lee Jae Myung tried in vain to appease disgruntled farmers who remain suspicious of the administration’s motives behind the nationwide farmland survey. Korea’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has further complicated reconciliation efforts. Joining the trade pact is important for Korea’s outward-looking economy, but…
President Lee Jae Myung struggled to assuage farmers' concerns regarding the nationwide farmland survey, which remains shrouded in suspicion. The potential entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has further complicated efforts to heal the rift. For Korea, joining the trade pact is crucial for its outward-looking economy, but the process may come at a cost to farmers.
On Monday, a town hall meeting proved unproductive, if not a complete failure. President Lee's stance on the CPTPP remained undecided, while his explanation of the farmland survey was ambiguous. He even tried to shift responsibility for the contentious policy, implying that a clash with farmers might be unavoidable. Farmers view the survey as a serious threat to their livelihoods, fearing they could be compelled to sell their land involuntarily.
The Lee government's farmland survey has become one of its most contentious policies, exacerbating President Lee's declining approval ratings. The survey's validity is questionable.
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- Lee, farmers at odds over farmland survey, trade pact koreatimes.co.kr
