Ko Wen-je, the former mayor of Taipei and leader of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), has been arrested in connection with allegations of corruption linked to Taipei’s Core Pacific City redevelopment project. The allegations concern activities that took place during Ko’s tenure as mayor from 2014 to 2022. His party revealed the arrest on Saturday.
Ko, who secured notable support as a third-party candidate in Taiwan’s recent presidential election, refused to continue a marathon overnight interrogation session, leading prosecutors to detain him. The Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office cited concerns of potential collusion as the rationale for the arrest. Under Taiwanese law, prosecutors are mandated to seek court approval to detain a suspect within 24 hours of interrogation. Ko has requested a judicial review of the arrest decision.
The corruption scandal centers on an alleged illicit increase in the floor area ratio (FAR) of the Core Pacific City project, reportedly benefiting property developers by expanding the project’s profitability. Investigators have named Ko and several former Taipei City officials as suspects.
Ko’s arrest comes amid a broader wave of investigations into Taiwanese politicians for corruption and misconduct. The TPP, in a statement, called for the court to scrutinize the legality of the arrest and uphold Ko’s rights.
Ko, a former trauma surgeon, emerged as a surprising contender in the January presidential race, securing nearly 27 percent of the vote.
For more information, you can view the full article on JURIST News.