National Women’s League assets worth NT$38.5 billion (US$1.32 billion), which were frozen in February, would be confiscated by the state if investigations determine them to be illegally acquired, the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee said.
The committee in February determined the league to be a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-affiliated organization and lodged formal complaints against former league chairwoman Cecilia Koo (辜嚴倬雲) and her daughter Koo Huai-ju (辜懷如) for allegedly destroying records.
Cecilia Koo in May last year moved 170 boxes containing league documents and accounts to a warehouse owned by the Koo family-operated Taiwan Cement Corp. In December last year, Koo Huai-ju and family assistant Liu Kai-li (劉凱理) reportedly destroyed most of the records with a paper shredder.
The committee said it filed formal complaints with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office against the two women and one employee for destroying the documents and obstructing its investigation after league employees testified that they were instructed to pack up league records in May last year.
A trial has been scheduled for Wednesday at which league deputy secretary-general Nancy Nee (汲宇荷) and league head of general affairs Chu Ai-na (朱愛娜) are to appear as witnesses, the committee said, adding that case defendant Cecilia Koo has yet to return from the US, where she has been staying.
Initial investigations into records from the past 10 years have already uncovered that the league transferred funds to the KMT over this period, the committee said, adding that five recovered boxes of documents showed that the KMT supplied the majority of military taxes and surcharges that were the league’s main source of income from 1955 to 1989.
Investigations of records from 1960 to 1989 show that the league’s income from military taxes and surcharges was not as much as the public perceived it to be, the committee said, adding that the league had other sources of revenue, receiving donations from theater ticket sales, the textile industry and bank interest, among other sources.
The league used the military taxes and surcharges to generate interest, rather than using the money to assist troops, as was intended, the committee said, adding that the league could earn annual interest of up to 10 percent during the economic boom years.
“Revenue from military taxes and surcharges was supposed to be spent on military barracks and on the troops… Where did the extra funds go?” committee spokeswoman Shih Chin-fang (施錦芳) said.
After the taxes and surcharges were discontinued in 1989, the league was asked by authorities to return unused funds, but it refused to do so, Shih said.
The donations made to the league are seen by some as tributes paid to [Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) wife and league founder] Soong Mayling (宋美齡), Shih said.
“They just spent the money however they wanted, nobody dared to pressure them to hand it over,” she said.
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
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
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
RSS