Government legislation ministry rules newly bought forest land ineligible for direct payments

The Ministry of Government Legislation ruled on June 4 that foresters who buy new eligible forest land in January of an application year cannot receive direct payments for that newly acquired land during the same year.

Under the current rules, applicants must have worked the specific land for at least 60 days annually over the preceding year to qualify for subsidies. The ministry determined that because a buyer physically cannot meet this one-year work requirement for land purchased in the application year itself, the new plot fails the eligibility criteria regardless of the owner's history on other properties.

The Ministry of Government Legislation issued the interpretation in response to an inquiry from the Korea Forest Service, stating that the work-period requirement applies to each individual plot of land. Consequently, prior qualification on existing holdings does not automatically extend to newly acquired sites, and the clock for the mandatory 12-month engagement period starts only from the date of purchase.

The ruling aims to prevent fraudulent claims by ensuring payments go only to those with a proven track record of active forestry management on the specific terrain receiving funds. Officials noted that interpreting the law to allow immediate subsidies on new purchases would contradict the legislation's intent to stabilize incomes for established operators rather than speculate on land transfers.

The Korea Forest Service has scheduled the application window for the 2026 public benefit direct payments from March 4 to April 30. Applicants must submit their registration to the head of their local town or district office, which will then verify compliance through on-site inspections before the Forestry Service makes the final payment decision.