Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je Indicted on Corruption Charges
Former presidential candidate and Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je has been indicted on corruption charges, with prosecutors seeking up to 28.5 years in prison. The 65-year-old politician is accused of accepting $500,000 in bribes related to real estate dealings during his mayoral tenure and misreporting campaign finances from his recent presidential bid. Ko, who has denied the allegations, was arrested in September and remains in detention. He is among 11 individuals being prosecuted, including several members of his Taiwan People's Party who face charges of misappropriating political donations. The indictment comes after Ko's significant showing in January's presidential election, where he secured over 25% of the vote, finishing third behind the ruling Democratic People's Party candidate Lai Ching-te, who received 40%. Ko had positioned himself as an alternative to Taiwan's two main parties, criticizing the DPP's approach to Beijing relations while […]