The appointment of Kuo Yen-tu (郭炎土) as the chairman of state-run China Steel (中鋼) is designed to help a member of the Presidential Office in Kaohsiung's mayoral election, opposition lawmakers charged yesterday.
Kuo, a former vice chairman of rival steelmaker Yieh Loong (燁隆鋼鐵), replaces outgoing China Steel chairman Wang Chung-yu (王鐘渝). The Commission of National Corporations under the Ministry of Economic Affairs made the announcement on Tuesday.
People First Party legislator Lee Ching-hua (
Specifically, the lawmaker said Kuo wasn't qualified for the position because he served as a top executive for a competing firm Lee said the primary reason why the ministry choose Kuo was because of his support from Chen Che-nan (陳哲男), deputy secretary-general to the president, who intends to run for Kaohsiung mayor. Lee claimed that through the China Steel chairmanship, Chen is attempting to control the potential resources available at the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp, of which China Steel is the largest shareholder.
The chairman of China Steel normally serves concurrently as chairman of Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp.
Because Wang maintains close relationships with Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Chen wants one of his men appointed to the position, Lee claimed.
The lawmaker also said the mass rapid transit construction project -- worth some NT$170 billion -- could be used to award contractors helpful to Chen's mayoral bid.
But Chen said yesterday he doesn't know Kuo and has never interfered in the personnel appointments of China Steel. Chen said it was the Cabinet, rather than the Presidential Office, that names the China Steel chairman.
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