[Interview] Song Ho-ryong, Former Head of Gyeongsangnam-do’s Cadastral Division (77), the Originator of Korea’s “Uncovering Ancestors’ Land” Service

It all began when he helped a middle school girl locate her late father’s land.

Extended nationwide in 2001, the service has identified 3.68 million land parcels over the past five years alone.

After 37 years in public service, he says, “If my small effort can help someone else, then that effort is a joy.”

Editor’s Note

This series introduces the people behind groundbreaking ideas that have made a positive impact on society. We explore how these ideas first emerged and developed into meaningful innovations. We hope more ideas that benefit society will continue to spread.

In early 1993, a middle school girl visited an office at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government. At the time, Song Ho-ryong was serving as the Director of the Cadastral Division, responsible for land administration and property information.

The student arrived in tears.

“My father passed away suddenly in a traffic accident. Before he died, I heard him mention that he had purchased some land somewhere…”

Having lost her father unexpectedly at a young age, the girl was faced with severe financial uncertainty. She vaguely remembered hearing about the existence of land but had no idea where it was located or how to uncover it. With nowhere else to turn, she came to the provincial office seeking help.

The story deeply moved Song. While he believed he could help, one issue concerned him: privacy regulations.

Reference photo illustrating the “Uncover Your Ancestors’ Land” service. (Image not directly related to the article.) / Photo courtesy of News1

Recalling the situation, he said:

“At the time, personal information protection regulations prevented us from disclosing such information. But her circumstances were heartbreaking. I felt that even if it caused problems later, I had to help her.”

Song thoroughly searched the cadastral database. To his surprise, he uncovered several hundred pyeong of land registered under her father’s name. The property had appreciated significantly in value.

He informed the girl about the existence of the land.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she bowed deeply to him.

Song remembers feeling a profound sense of fulfillment. He imagined that the father had purchased the property for the benefit of his family, never expecting that its existence might remain unknown after his death. He hoped it would become the foundation that helped the family rebuild their lives.

The Beginning of “Uncovering Ancestors’ Land”

Song Ho-ryong, who served as Director of the Cadastral Division of Gyeongsangnam-do and Vice President of the Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation after beginning his public service career in 1966 and retiring in 2003. (Photo courtesy of Song Ho-ryong)

Another memorable case involved a man in his sixties from Ulju County, Ulsan.

The man approached Song and said:

“The strange thing is, I don’t own any land. Yet real estate agents keep calling me, asking me to sell land. I have no idea what they’re talking about.”

Puzzled by the situation, Song investigated.

He uncovered that the man’s late father still had ownership records for approximately 200 pyeong of land.

Just like the young student, the man had been completely unaware of the property’s existence.

These experiences led Song to a realization: many people might be unable to locate land that rightfully belonged to them. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that countless similar cases must exist throughout the province.

In the spring of 1993, Song presented an idea to the Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do.

“I proposed that if inheritance relationships could be verified and there were no legal issues, the government should inform rightful heirs where such land was located. I believed it was our duty to the citizens. I suggested launching a program to help people uncover ancestral property.”

The governor immediately supported the proposal.

“That’s an excellent idea. It’s a good thing to do,” he reportedly said.

Thus, the “Uncovering Ancestors’ Land” program was born in Gyeongsangnam-do—the first initiative of its kind in Korea.

Over the following 30 years, through December of last year, the province helped 317,912 individuals identify 1,845,346 land parcels.

Discovery of Late Father’s Land Helps Student Continue His Education

The program’s success soon attracted national attention.

In 1996, the Ministry of Home Affairs (now the Ministry of the Interior and Safety) conducted a review of the initiative.

Initially, officials questioned whether such a service was compatible with privacy regulations. However, after examining the details, they concluded that the program served the public interest and commended the effort.

By the second half of 2001, the service had extended nationwide to provincial governments.

In 2012, it became available through municipal and county governments across the country.

In November 2022, the service was further upgraded into an online platform, allowing citizens to verify ancestral land ownership with only a few clicks.

Over the past five years alone, approximately 3.68 million land parcels have been identified nationwide through the service.

Behind those numbers are countless personal stories.

One example involved a 23-year-old university student in Seoul whose father died suddenly from cardiac arrest.

Facing severe financial hardship and contemplating abandoning his studies, he applied for the service through the Seocho District Office.

Officials uncovered land owned by his father in Gyeonggi Province and elsewhere, valued at approximately KRW 300 million.

The discovery enabled him to continue his education.

In another case, a 62-year-old widow was struggling after the unexpected death of her husband.

Through the service, she located ancestral property worth approximately KRW 2 billion.

She later said:

“My husband passed away so suddenly, and life became extremely difficult. I’m deeply grateful that this service helped me uncover assets we never knew existed. I hope to share this blessing with neighbors in need.”

Disputes Over Inherited Land: “There Were Many Bitter Experiences, but Helping People Uncover It Was Still the Right Thing to Do”

When Land Becomes a Source of Conflict

<>In response to strong public demand, the “Uncover Your Ancestors’ Land” service was extended to an online platform, allowing users to search for ancestral land online. (Photo: K-Geo Platform website, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Not every story had a happy ending.

As Song observed, the discovery of previously unknown assets often led to disputes among family members.

“There were many touching stories, but there were also countless conflicts over inherited property. Brothers and sisters fought over land. Sons-in-law suddenly appeared claiming rights to their father-in-law’s property. Some people would arrive leaning on canes after suffering strokes, insisting they had to uncover land at any cost. There were many bitter experiences.”

Song jokingly referred to such behavior as the “My Land Syndrome.”

Asked what he meant, he explained:

“It’s the condition where everything becomes your land. This land is mine, that land is mine—even the road you’re walking on becomes yours.”

One day, an elderly man arrived around lunchtime carrying a massive stack of documents.

The man looked exhausted.

Song learned that he had already filed more than twenty petitions regarding land claims.

After listening carefully, Song offered him some advice.

“If it is a child’s duty to honor their parents, then it is also a parent’s duty to live long enough to receive that honor. Yet you have spent years suffering from what I call ‘My Land Syndrome.’ The bundle of documents you carry is a ghost’s burden. Burn it all and free yourself.”

The elderly man admitted that he had not slept properly for years because of his obsession.

He quietly stood up and left.

Song never saw him again.

Despite witnessing many unpleasant situations, Song remains convinced that helping people locate forgotten property is the right thing to do.

“There are many cases where people suffer because they cannot locate land that belongs to them. Sometimes others occupy the property for more than twenty years and eventually gain legal rights to it. That is why I still believe these properties should be uncovered and returned to their rightful owners.”

The Belief That Small Efforts Can Change Lives

Song Ho-ryong during his tenure as Vice President of the Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation. (Photo courtesy of Song Ho-ryong)

Throughout his public service career, Song frequently chose difficult paths.

At one point, he faced a complicated issue involving jointly owned land that could not be legally subdivided under existing building regulations.

Citizens repeatedly filed complaints.

Some influential local figures even threatened him.

“People would say, ‘Doesn’t a knife cut your stomach too?’ They tried to intimidate me. But after examining the situation, I realized that those with power and connections had always uncovered ways around the rules, while ordinary citizens simply gave up.”

Determined to devise a solution, Song spent more than a year and a half studying the issue.

Drawing upon the administrative law concept of curing procedural defects without infringing upon citizens’ rights, he developed a legal rationale that ultimately resolved the problem.

When auditors from the Board of Audit and Inspection later reviewed the case, they praised his work.

His efforts eventually contributed to legislative improvements.

Reflecting on his career, Song insists that he accomplished nothing extraordinary.

“The ‘Uncovering Ancestors’ Land’ program became possible largely because land records had already been digitized. There was a restriction based on privacy concerns, but I simply believed that helping people was the right thing to do. If that required courage, then perhaps courage was all it was.”

Asked where that courage came from, he smiled and answered:

“My father was an elementary school teacher, and I learned a great deal from him. He always taught me that even if helping others requires effort, that effort becomes a joy if it benefits someone else. These days I often see younger public officials following regulations exactly as written. My advice is this: if something is right and truly serves the people, have the conviction to pursue it.”

By Nam Hyung-do

Money Today (MT)

human@mt.co.kr

[Access the original press release]