The Nantou District Court yesterday detained Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Hou Ho-shong (
Hou, 63, who was arrested on Tuesday, was questioned overnight after his office and home were searched by agents from the Bureau of Investigation.
He is suspected to have played a role in seven flood-control construction corruption cases.
The Nantou District Court yesterday approved the detention to enable further investigation.
"Hou is charged with influence peddling, which is a serious crime. The court decided to allow extended detention to avoid collaboration among suspects [involved in the same case]," prosecutor Wu Tso-yen (吳祚延) said.
A contractor was also detained after initial questioning while three others, including two government officials and a contractor, were released on bail, he said.
Following Hou's detention, Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen (
Ministry affairs under Hou's supervision will be temporarily distributed to two other vice economic ministers, Shih Yen-hsiang (
Meanwhile, the duties of Taiwan Water Corp vice president Yang Shui-yuan (
Yang and Chang are also suspected of involvement in the bid-rigging on the construction projects.
A series of high-profile corruption scandals have rocked the country recently.
President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) wife, Wu Shu-jen (
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential hopeful Ma Ying-jeou (
Additional reporting by Jessie Ho
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS