Taipei, Feb. 17 (CNA) The ailing father of former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) died Monday, his family has confirmed.
Ko’s father Ko Cheng-fa (柯承發), who was in his 90s, reportedly had been critically ill over the past month and was hospitalized at National Taiwan University Hospital’s Hsinchu branch.
Ko Wen-je, who is currently in detention on corruption charges, was allowed to visit his father Sunday morning after the latter’s condition reportedly worsened.
Ko Wen-je was escorted by prison guards to the hospital, and he returned at 3:22 a.m. Sunday to the Taipei Detention Center, where he is being held, officials there confirmed.
His father had been in critical condition in the days before he died and was no longer able to eat, local media had reported earlier, citing Ko Wen-je’s mother, who said that was the doctors’ assessment of her husband.
On Monday, the hospital and Ko’s family confirmed that he had died.
Ko Wen-je, 65, was the TPP’s presidential candidate in the 2024 election. He was indicted on Dec. 26, 2024 on bribery and other corruption charges in connection with real estate dealings during his second term as Taipei mayor, which began in 2018.
He was also charged with embezzling political donations made to the TPP during the 2024 presidential election campaign, and he resigned as TPP chairman in January.
On Monday, after his father’s death, the Taipei Detention Center said Ko Wen-je is legally allowed to apply for a home visit, but it declined to disclose whether he had submitted such an application.
