TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Presidential Office Spokesperson Kolas Yotaka on Wednesday (June 28) said she will step down following allegations that she had an affair with a married member of her security detail.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office Spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪) said it is a private matter and the government has no further comment other than the hope she will handle it properly, reported CNA. She added that Kolas has offered her resignation to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who accepted her decision.
Mirror Media reported that Kolas had an affair with a married male police officer surnamed Li (李), who is six years her junior and was on her security team when she unsuccessfully ran for Hualien County magistrate last year. As part of a civil suit filed by Li's wife, she presented 156 pages of LINE conversation records as evidence that Kolas had an affair with her husband.
The messages include references by Kolas and Li to searching for a house in Hualien and attempts to have a child they wished to name "Lucy." Li's wife claimed that this was proof the two had sexual relations and was the basis of a NT$1 million lawsuit.
Li issued a statement on Facebook that apologized to his family because his marriage had been in "disharmony for many years, causing many people to be hurt." He thanked Kolas for "helping me during my low tide."
He then apologized to Kolas because he said that he was "in a state of emotional breakdown because of the friction with my other half for many years." He said that although his wife had agreed to a divorce, he claimed that he did not inform Kolas of his martial status "which led to today's turmoil."
Li said the only expectation of his relationship with Kolas was conversation. He denied they were intimate.
"Thank you Kolas for accompanying me on this journey and keeping me from leaving this world. I am deeply sorry for this, and I once again apologize to the innocent people who were hurt," wrote Li.
The Hualien County Police Bureau said it had started an internal investigation, and the parties involved were questioned in the morning, reported CNA. Any breaking of the rules will be dealt with according to regulations.
Kolas posted on Facebook the Mirror Media news report was exaggerated in many ways. She insisted that she did not know that Li was married and "never overstepped bounds or engaged in intimate behavior."
Kolas said that she was no longer in contact with Li and apologized to those affected by the claims. She closed by vowing that "the truth will become clarified."
