In an apparent show of willingness to take responsibility for recent conflicts in the Presidential Office over the vice president's residential budget, Department of Public Affairs Director Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪) offered her resignation on Tuesday night.
However, officials from the Presidential Office stressed yesterday that Secretary-General to the President Yu Shyi-kun would do his best to dissuade her from resigning.
To clarify controversial information surrounding Vice President Annette Lu's (
Kuo stressed that there was no conspiracy over the budget and that all officials involved acted in accordance with the law.
The vice president's office issued a press release in response which attacked Yu, saying, "Yu should play the role of a mediator but the past ten months have seen ties between the president and vice president estranged, distorted and damaged."
The press release accused the secretary-general's office of failing to negotiate with Lu's office, adding that ordering the Department of Public Affairs to hold a press conference before speaking with Lu only added to the controversy.
A Presidential Office source said Kuo felt guilty and decided to quit.
"Kuo said in her resignation that she is `tired both mentally and physically,' but we believe that Yu will persuade Kuo to stay in her position," the source said.
Kuo would not confirm whether she had offered her resignation but said that "taking responsibility is the only obligation of a civil servant."
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