South Korea’s first agrivoltaics law leaves half of farmland off-limits

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">South Korea's National Assembly has passed the country's first dedicated agrivoltaics legislation, enabling dual use of agricultural land for solar power generation, but the law excludes zones covering nearly half of the country's farmland, according to a Seoul-based nonprofit group focused on energy transition.</span></p><p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">South Korea’s National Assembly has approved the country’s first dedicated <a href="https://www.newspim.com/news/view/20260507001282" rel="noopener" target="_blank">agrivoltaics law</a>, paving the way for dual-use solar and farming, although zones covering nearly half of all farmland remain excluded, according to the non-profit group Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC).</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The Act on the Promotion and Support of Agrivoltaics creates a legal framework for combining solar power generation with agricultural production in South Korea. SFOC, a Seoul-based group focused on energy transition, said the legislation is particularly significant given that more than 60% of the country's territory is mountainous and farmland accounts for just 19% of total land area.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The act extends land-use permits for agrivoltaic projects from eight to 23 years, providing longer-term financial certainty for farmers and developers. It restricts participation to local farmers, resident participation cooperatives, and agricultural companies, explicitly excluding external investors. SFOC said the measure is designed to protect farmers' interests and prevent exploitation of farmland.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">However, the law does not apply within Agricultural Promotion Zones, which SFOC said cover approximately 47% of South Korea's total farmland. Farmers in those areas remain ineligible unless their land is separately designated as a Renewable Energy Zone. SFOC said zoning decisions will therefore determine how broadly the law can be applied in practice.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) is responsible for implementing the act. SFOC said future implementation should focus on expanding renewable energy zoning to bring more farmland within the law's scope.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">MAFRA <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/10/24/south-korea-to-introduce-rules-for-agrivoltaics/">signaled the agrivoltaics legislation was coming</a> in October 2025, with Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung meeting with farmers and solar companies at an agrivoltaic demonstration site in Cheongju where cabbage crops grow beneath solar panels. The ministry had already begun building the regulatory foundation, <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/04/24/south-korea-offers-support-for-agrivoltaics/">extending unused-farmland permit periods and introducing exclusive rights for agricultural companies</a> in 2024.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Japan, which has operated a <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/12/13/japan-releases-new-guidelines-for-agrivoltaics-as-installations-hit-200-mw/">national agrivoltaics guidance framework</a> since 2021, is the closest parallel in Asia, though its rules fall short of a dedicated standalone act. France's 2023 <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.tse.energy/en/articles/loi-acceleration-production-energies-renouvelables">APER law</a>, which created a national legal definition and framework for agrivoltaics, remains the strongest global precedent.</p>