Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je Faces Corruption Probe Over Property Deal

Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je is facing a corruption investigation over a property deal involving the controversial increase of the floor area ratio of the Jinghua City building in Taipei. Ko Wen-je, the chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party, was questioned by investigators for 12 hours before being transported to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office early on the morning of August 1st. The investigation centers on a decision made during Ko’s tenure as mayor, which increased the building’s floor area ratio from 392% to 840%. This move, which raised suspicions of favoritism, led to a city council investigation and a separate criminal investigation launched by the prosecutors. Ko and his former deputy, Peng Zhen-sheng, have both been identified as defendants in the case. According to investigators, Ko was personally involved in signing key documents related to the decision.