Thu, Dec 23, 1999 page1

• Affair forces John Chang to resign

  SCANDAL Saying that the affair with a former TV actress was the `biggest mistake' of his life, the Presidential Office secretary-general offered his resignation, and President Lee has accepted it

  • By Lauren Chen / STAFF REPORTER
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  Following revelations of involvement in an extramarital affair, Presidential Office Secretary-General John Chang (31孝嚴) tendered his resignation to President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday.

  In his resignation, Chang admitted that due to "personal factors," he was no longer able to properly fulfill his position, and that he had therefore requested to leave office as soon as possible.

  Yesterday was the first time since the news broke on Tuesday that the secretary-general had faced the media.

  

  Accompanied by his wife, Huang Mei-lun, Presidential Office Secretary-General John Chang bows to apologize during a press conference yesterday to announce his resignation.

  PHOTO: SUNG CHIH-HSIUNG, LIBERTY TIMES

  Chang was repentant at a hastily-called press conference at the Presidential Office.

  "The mistake was the biggest and most irreparable I have ever made in my entire life," he said.

  "With a shameful heart, I admit my mistake and have tendered my resignation to the president," he added.

  Chang is the first Presidential Office secretary-general to quit his job under such circumstances. He is also the shortest-serving chief of the Presidential Office, having served only 45 days after previously holding the post of KMT secretary-general.

  Presidential Office spokesman Ting Yuan-chao (?B遠超), who acted as Chang's spokesman yesterday, said that in spite of the president's initial unwillingness to accept the resignation, President Lee felt that the situation was such that he had no other choice.

  Ting said the president had no immediate plans to reassign Chang.

  Chang said that he wanted to take time not just to reflect on his behavior, but also to spend more time with his "beloved family."

  Chang's wife, Huang Mei-lun(黃美-?, also attended the press conference, saying that both she and her children would forgive Chang.

  "We will give him all the support he needs, and hope our lives will return to normal as soon as possible,'' she said.

  The affair came to light in the form of a note signed by Chang and obtained by the media, in which he promised the woman involved -- Wang Hsiao-chan (?y殼N嬋), a former TV actress now working as an interior designer -- that he would complete arrangements for a divorce before next June.

  Spokesman Ting had said previously that the note was signed under "abnormal circumstances."

  Chang emphasized that his resignation had nothing to do with the upcoming presidential election next March.

  Ting quoted him as saying that there should be no misunderstanding regarding the reasons for his resignation since Chang was neither a candidate, nor had any electoral duties.

  Chang's successor, who will begin work today, is senior presidential advisor Ding Mou-shih (?B懋時), who once served as Taiwan's chief representative in Washington, DC, and also as foreign minister.

  He will also serve concurrently as acting secretary-general of the National Security Council in place of incumbent Yin Tsung-wen (殷宗??/CHINESE>), who is ill.

  "In the president's consideration, Ding is the most suitable candidate for the job. As far as I understand, the president never considered another person for the job,'' a spokesman for the president said.
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