Ten years after announcing his candidacy for Taipei mayor, Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman on sabbatical leave Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has been arrested. Once advocating to tear down the green and blue walls of Taiwanese politics, Ko is now facing the walls of a prison cell.
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Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has been detained, held incommunicado, and transferred to a detention facility amid corruption investigations. Today, we take a look at the politician’s ten-year journey leading up to his arrest.
In 2014, Ko was accompanied by his wife and mother as he announced his candidacy for Taipei mayor, marking the start of his political career. At the time, the focus was on ordinary people participating in politics. As a National Taiwan University Hospital trauma surgeon, he stated that he didn’t need to pretend to be an ordinary person, because he was one.
His campaign was a success, and Ko was elected as mayor, promising a better Taipei. After his reelection four years later, he established the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) in 2019, adding a white party to Taiwan’s political world dominated by green and blue parties. As chairman, Ko grew the party to become the third largest in the Legislature.
Ko Wen-je ran for president in 2024, but lost to the two other primary candidates, receiving no more than 27% of the overall votes.
Ten years after advocating for openness and transparency in the government, Ko’s integrity and reputation has been called into question amid allegations of violating the Anti-Corruption Act during his second term as Taipei mayor. Such violations can be punishable by a prison sentence of no less than five years.
Ko’s arrest took place just before 6 p.m. on Thursday. He was transferred to the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei, where, in line with the Code of Criminal Procedure, he can be lawfully detained for up to four months while prosecutors continue their investigation.