Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) yesterday drew criticism from Taiwanese lawmakers over a remark he made in Washington, when he said he detests Korean people.
On the sidelines of his speech on Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system at an international conference held by the Washington-based Center for Strategy and International Studies on Friday, Yaung compared national health insurance systems in different countries and mentioned how South Korea transformed its multi-carrier national health insurance system into a single national health insurance system after a group came to Taiwan to visit him and to learn from Taiwan’s example.
“But South Korean people would never say they copied from Taiwan,” Yaung said.
PHOTO: CNA
He then said: “It’s just like when [South] Korea also said Confucius was from [South] Korea. I detest(討厭) Korean people.”
Apparently realizing his blunder, he quickly said: “It would be terrible if this is broadcast.”
In Taipei, commenting on Yaung’s gaffe, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) yesterday said that not only was what Yaung said “inappropriate” but it also “disgraced the dignity of the nation” because Yaung is a government official.
“South Korea learned something from Taiwan’s NHI system. We should have felt honored by that. It doesn’t matter if South Korea said it learned from Taiwan or not,” Lo said.
Democratic Progressive Party Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) said Yaung had never learned from past lessons that he should be more cautious with his words.
Huang was referring to controversial comments Yaung made in the past. He once said that “single people are more prone to mental illness” when he explained why single people should be asked to pay higher health insurance premiums in a plan to reform the NHI system.
Yaung also put his foot in his mouth recently when, promoting AIDS prevention, he said he wished that condoms could be available at betel nut stands and that betel nut beauties (檳榔西施), who often wear revealing apparel, could help the government in its AIDS awareness program.
“From the perspectives of a man, betel nut beauties should not be cracked down on,” he said. “Of course betel nut beauties should wear revealing apparel so that they can be eye-catching.”
“How could a politically appointed official make discriminatory comments about another country at an international occasion?” Huang said yesterday. “This was not the first time that Yaung has made improper comments, and it is because the Cabinet has indulged him instead of asking him to behave himself.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no comment on that, with deputy spokesman James Chang (章計平) referring the press to Yaung to explain the context.
Meanwhile, Executive Yuan Spokesman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said the Cabinet respected personal comments unrelated to government policies made by Cabinet officials, but added the Executive Yuan also wished that Cabinet officials would be more cautious and take public sentiments into consideration before making comments.
Bureau of National Health Insurance Director Cheng Shou-hsia (鄭守夏) said the national health insurance reform Yaung mentioned was implemented by South Korea about 10 years ago when Yaung was DOH deputy minister under the former KMT administration.
Cheng said Taiwan and South Korea often exchange views on their national health insurance systems. South Korea implemented its national health insurance system earlier than Taiwan, but Taiwan’s system has been internationally recognized as better, Cheng added.
In his speech on Friday, Yaung said he was not optimistic about health insurance reform in the US because the US has too many private health insurance carriers, leaving too much leeway for fraud.
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
The arrival of a cold front tomorrow could plunge temperatures into the mid-teens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Temperatures yesterday rose to 28°C to 30°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and 32°C to 33°C in central and southern Taiwan, CWA data showed. Similar but mostly cloudy weather is expected today, the CWA said. However, the arrival of a cold air mass tomorrow would cause a rapid drop in temperatures to 15°C cooler than the previous day’s highs. The cold front, which is expected to last through the weekend, would bring steady rainfall tomorrow, along with multiple waves of showers
RSS