President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday demanded that Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) retract his comparison of the nation’s military to a group of “eunuchs” for its “lack of laws.”
Han on Thursday had said in an interview that the nation’s military had no laws of its own, and therefore was “akin to eunuchs draped in Western suits.”
“Even if they wore Armani, they would still just be eunuchs,” he said.
Photo: CNA
Without laws, the military has no combat effectiveness, he said, adding that increasing the military’s budget would be a waste of time.
Tsai yesterday admonished Han, calling his statement “unjust.”
“As the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, I solemnly beseech Mayor Han, who has previously served in the military, to retract his statement,” Tsai said, adding: “What does the budget have to do with military laws?”
Laws were in 2013 amended to have most military legal cases handled by the civil court system, in response to public demand for reform following the death of army corporal Hung Chung-chiu (洪仲丘), who died of abuse at the hands of senior officers that year.
However, Taiwan still has military judges who would handle military cases in wartime, Tsai said.
As commander-in-chief, she could not let Han disparage the hard work of the men and women serving in the military, she said.
Only because the military is on call around the clock can the public live in safety and enjoy the freedoms that they have, she said.
Han yesterday defended his statement, saying that he was using a metaphor to call attention to the importance of military laws.
Tsai should not criticize him, as she has not served in the military, he said, adding that she should focus on boosting the military’s strength rather than tarnishing his name.
“If I retract everything Tsai tells me to, I would need to go all the way back to when I was still in my mother’s womb,” he said.
Tsai’s administration has continually bought additional weapons, but without laws, the military had no spirit or discipline, he said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old