Civil group files police complaint against agriculture minister over farmland survey

A civic group has filed a complaint with police against Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung over the government's ongoing farmland survey, accusing her of abusing power, sources said Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency received the complaint from the People's Welfare Countermeasure Committee on Sunday, claiming Song pressed ahead with the survey without sufficient consultation from farmers, causing anxiety among them, according to the sources. The government launched the comprehensive nationwide survey earlier this year in an effort to determine the actual ownership of farmland and prevent it from being used as a speculative asset. Critics, however, have voiced concerns over the survey, arguing that it could infringe on the property rights of farmers.