Former minister of transportation and communications Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), who was sentenced to eight years in prison for taking bribes from contractors, has died aged 69, sources said today.
The sources said Kuo was rushed to Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital in Taipei for emergency treatment due to a life-threatening aortic dissection on Sunday and was pronounced dead at about 11am today.
Photo: Taipei Times
The hospital declined to disclose any information about Kuo's disease, citing patient privacy.
Kuo was transport minister between January and August 2006, during which time she oversaw the official opening of the 12.94km Hsuehshan Tunnel, the longest in Taiwan.
In April 2011, the Democratic Progressive Party politician was found guilty by the High Court of accepting US$20,000 in bribes while serving as transport minister from the Nan Ren Hu Group, a service industry conglomerate.
The Supreme Court upheld Kuo's conviction in December 2013 and she began serving an eight-year prison sentence the following month.
The Ministry of Justice approved Kuo's release on medical parole in January 2016 after she was diagnosed with cancer.
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