Media personality Huang Kuang-chin (黃光芹) and former Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lai Kun-cheng (賴坤成) yesterday sued Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) for defamation, after the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate filed a similar lawsuit against them.
Huang and Lai, who filed the lawsuit at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, said that they had taken legal action because Han had first sued them.
The duo accused Han of making malicious accusations during his campaign rally last month, telling the crowd that “the majority of pundits have accepted dirty money.”
Photo: CNA
“It was a serious accusation,” Lai said. “Han did not name those taking dirty money, but then he sued me and Huang, which meant he was referring to us.”
Lai said that before discussing political issues as guests on TV talk shows or posting messages about Han online, he and Huang check their facts and justifications for their statements.
“We told the public about Han’s history, some of his more unsavory aspects and his wayward activities,” Lai said.
“Han knew these had taken place, but he felt that he was being put down and disgraced in public,” he said.
“So Han used the courts to try to seal our mouths and keep the public from knowing his past,” he added.
Huang, a veteran journalist and television pundit, wrote a biography of Han titled Walking With the Moon (跟著月亮走), which was published in January.
However, the two had a falling out after the publication because of disputes over proceeds from book sales and copyright issues.
On Oct. 7, Han filed seven lawsuits against Huang with the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office: four for public insult and three on aggravated defamation charges, claiming that she made false accusations in a series of articles.
Huang said that she has received threats of physical violence against her and her child by people claiming to be Han’s fans.
She said that having worked for decades as a journalist and written articles critical of prominent political figures, it was the first time that her personal safety has been endangered.
In her guest appearances on TV and articles, Huang has said that photographs showing Han drinking at night clubs were not the full story, but that he was also entertained by female hostesses at the clubs.
Huang said that other talk shows and media outlets have made similar allegations and that some have even said that they have photographic evidence.
“Han’s lawsuit against me is a form of blackmail, telling me and other pundits to shut up and refrain from criticizing him, not to mention his past disreputable deeds,” Huang said.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS