Han Kuo-Yu

Does the Recall of DPP City Councilor Wang Hao-yu Reflect a Larger Trend?

Brian Hioe
DPP Taoyuan city councilor Wang Hao-yu was recalled last week by large margins. 84,582 voted in favor of the motion to recall Wang, while 7,128 voters voted against the recall. For the recall vote to be binding, 25% of eligible voters, or 81,940 individuals, would have to participate in the vote. 28% of eligible voters participated, resulting in a successful recall campaign against Wang...
EnglishJanuary 2021Politics10 min read

After Jane Lee Scandal, Plagiarism Accusations Slung Between Pan-Green and Pan-Blue Camps

Brian Hioe
Following allegations that KMT Kaohsiung mayoral by-election candidate Jane Lee, also known as Li Mei-jhen, plagiarized 96% of her master’s thesis, an unusual political spat has broken out between the pan-Blue and pan-Green camps. Members of the pan-Blue and pan-Green camps are now slinging allegations of plagiarism against members of the other political camp...
EnglishJuly 2020Politics8 min read

Suicide of Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Used as Political Ammunition by KMT for Recall Campaigns

Brian Hioe
The apparent suicide of Kaohsiung city council speaker Hsu Kun-yuan on the same day as Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu was successfully recalled earlier this month has quickly become used as political ammunition by the KMT against political opponents. A number of recall campaigns against supporters of Han’s recall have been launched by members of the pan-Blue camp...
EnglishJune 2020Politics8 min read

Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu Successfully Recalled in Historic Recall Vote

Brian Hioe
Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu was successfully recalled today in a recall vote. Han was defeated by overwhelming margins, with 939,090 votes in favor of his recall and 25,051 votes against his recall, out of a total of 969,259 individuals that voted. 97.4% of those who voted were in favor of Han being recalled, while only 2.6% of voters were against the recall. 42.14% of Kaohsiung’s voter electorate participated in the recall vote. This is the first successful recall vote of a standing politician after the threshold required to hold a recall vote was lowered after legislature passed in November 2016, as well as the first mayoral recall held in Taiwanese history....
EnglishJune 2020Politics10 min read