26th December 2024 – (Taipei) Ko Wen-je, the chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party, has been implicated in the Core Pacific City scandal and associated political funding issues, leading to his indictment after 113 days of detention. The Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office has announced that Ko is facing charges of bribery, benefit fraud, and public asset misappropriation, with prosecutors seeking a hefty sentence of 28 years and six months.
A press conference is scheduled this morning to provide further details on the case, although media inquiries will not be permitted. Reports indicate that Ko is among more than ten individuals being prosecuted, including former Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng and KMT Taipei City Councillor Angela Ying. The charges encompass various violations under Taiwan’s Anti-Corruption Act and the Political Donations Act.
Should the charges of bribery be upheld, Ko could become the first former Taipei mayor to face such severe penalties, including the possibility of life imprisonment. As the leader of the party that holds significant sway in Taiwan’s legislature, Ko’s ongoing legal troubles cast a shadow over the future of his party, which he founded in 2019 on a platform of integrity and reform.
