Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) on Wednesday defended its new station master uniforms as based on those worn by Japan Railways (JR) staff, amid criticism that the design looks like the North Korean military uniform.
The newly corporatized TRC on Monday unveiled new formal uniforms for station masters at the Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hualien railway stations.
However, the gray color ignited some controversy, with commentators saying it looks similar to those worn by the North Korean military.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Railway Corp
It is the first time the railway has used gray in a uniform, as blue is the standard choice for railways staff.
The TRC on Wednesday defended the design, saying it was based on those worn by staff on the JR East and other Japanese railways.
It is also markedly different from the Mao suit and cap worn by the North Korean military, it added.
The double-breasted suit jacket with gold buttons and trim is a usual design, while the embroidered golden tassel on the cap is honorary for the heads of the nation’s largest stations, it said.
The uniforms would only be used on Lunar New Year and other major celebrations, while the regular navy blue uniform would be worn at other times, TRC chairman Du Wei (杜微) said.
New uniforms for regular railway staff are still being designed, and would likely be released next year, he said, adding that they would likely not use gray to differentiate from the station master uniforms.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS