Former Taipei Mayor’s Wife Publicizes Income Amid Corruption Allegations.

Taipei: The wife of former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has released the couple's annual income since 2015 to counter allegations of bribe-taking faced by Ko, who has been detained since early September. In a Facebook post on Sunday, retired pediatrician Chen Pei-chi shared her and her husband's combined annual income from 2015 to 2023 based on their income tax filings, following her questioning by prosecutors on Nov. 7. According to Focus Taiwan, the income figures Chen posted for the nine years mostly ranged between NT$6 million (US$185,862.25) and NT$8 million, except for NT$9,097,749 in 2022 and NT$5,423,236 in 2023. Ko, who assumed office as Taipei mayor on Dec. 25, 2014, served two four-year terms. After founding the Taiwan People's Party in 2019, he ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2024 elections in January. The former mayor was detained and held incommunicado on Sept. 5 following questioning by prosecutors regarding alleged corruption linked to the Core Pacific Group's development project during hi s tenure. On Nov. 1, the Taipei District Court approved a motion to extend his detention by an additional two months. In her Facebook post, Chen included a wedding photo and a document detailing Ko's expenditures as mayor, along with comments she made during her questioning on Nov. 7. She expressed her disagreement with what she described as "unfair and untrue" opinions labeling Ko as a corrupt official. This was the second time Chen was questioned in connection with the investigation into allegations that Ko used his position to illicitly favor the Core Pacific Group in their land redevelopment project in Taipei during his second term as mayor. Ko is also implicated in allegedly taking bribes related to the project, although prosecutors are still gathering evidence to substantiate these charges. The couple was initially questioned by the Agency Against Corruption on Aug. 30, following searches of their home and Ko's offices. Former Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng was also questioned and subsequently detaine d. These actions came after Core Pacific Group Chairman Sheen Ching-jing, Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei, and several others were detained by prosecutors on Aug. 27-28 for their alleged roles in the corruption case.