TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) is at the center of a controversy involving alleged paparazzi photos sold to KMT political figures.
A Mirror Media report published on Tuesday claims that former Central News Agency reporter Hsieh Hsing-en (謝幸恩) and Chang Kai-wie (張凱維), an assistant to KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇), were involved in the sale of these photos. It also alleged that Chang earned NT$50,000 (US$1,641) per month from the transaction, per Tai Sounds.
Lawyer Ke Chen-hao (柯晨晧), a former associate of Wang, said he had reviewed Hsieh’s photos and found them to include misleading information. He further alleged that Chang knowingly provided misleading materials to Wang, who then asked Ke to attend press conferences to lend credibility to the information.
Huang responded to the allegation, emphasizing that neither he nor the Taiwan Anti-Corruption & Whistleblower Protection Association profited from the information they provided, per Tai Sounds. He noted that Mirror Media has received a significant amount of information from the association.
Regarding the alleged transactions between Hsieh and New Party Taipei City Councilor Hou Han-ting (侯漢廷), who reportedly purchased a photo from Hsieh, Huang said he had no knowledge of their alleged interactions.
Wang said she does not know Hsieh and has never contacted her, NOWNews. She also asserted that Chang repeatedly confirmed he has not been involved in the operation of the association.
Wang further claimed that Ke has held a grudge against her since she declined to lead a petition opposing the abolition of the death penalty, and that he has since made unsubstantiated public accusations against her office.
Hou denied the allegation, stating that he does not know Hsieh and has no means of contacting Huang privately, per ETtoday. Taipei City Councilor Chang Szu-kang (張斯綱), who was mentioned in the Mirror Media report, responded by standing by the authenticity of his previous disclosures, per NOWnews.
Former DPP Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) claimed he was the first target of Huang’s paparazzi effort, which accused him of meddling in redistricting efforts on behalf of the Thento Union gang organization, per CNA. Tsai maintains that multiple organizations have refuted Huang’s allegations, though Huang insists the claims against Tsai remain substantiated.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川), accompanied by legal counsel, filed formal complaints against Huang, Hsieh, and five others on Friday, citing violations of the Personal Data Protection Act, National Security Act, Social Order Maintenance Act, and offenses against privacy, per ETtoday. Huang countered that Wang Yi-chuan’s legal action was an attempt to gain access to whistleblower identities stored on his hard drive, per Newtalk.
In an attempt to dispel rumors that he ordered paparazzi surveillance on former TPP Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), Huang contacted Ko directly on Monday, per Storm Media. Ko downplayed the matter, saying the ruling party should focus on more pressing issues rather than attempting to drive a wedge between him and Huang.
