Hsu Kun-yuan explained

Hsu Kun-yuan
Native Name Lang:zh-hant
Office:Speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council
Term Start:25 December 2018
Term End:6 June 2020
Predecessor:Kang Yu-cheng
Successor:Lu Shu-mei
Constituency:District 8
Term Start1:25 December 2010
Term End1:24 December 2014
Successor1:Kang Yu-cheng
Constituency1:District 8
Office2:Member of the Kaohsiung City Council
Term Start2:25 December 2010
Term End2:6 June 2020
Constituency2:District 8
Term Start3:25 December 1994
Term End3:25 December 2010
Constituency3:District 4
Birth Date:1 May 1957
Birth Place:Lingya District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Death Place:Lingya District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Death Cause:Suicide

Hsu Kun-yuan (; 1 May 1957  - 6 June 2020) was a Taiwanese politician. He was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. He was a member of the Kuomintang (KMT). He was a member of the Kaohsiung City Council from 1994 until his death. From 2010 to 2014 and again from 2018 until his death, he was Speaker of the City Council.

Biography

A Kaohsiung native, he and his elder brother Hsu Kun-lung participated in tangwai movements in the 1980s, and they joined the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 1986. However, Hsu Kun-lung's reputation was tarnished after being involved in a criminal case where two policeman were killed. As a result, Hsu Kun-yuan decided to continue his brother's deeds, and further his political career.[1]

In 1994, Hsu was elected a Kaohsiung city councilor as an independent, having left the DPP.[2] In 2004, in order to gain the position of speaker, Hsu wanted to form an alliance with the Kuomintang. However, Ma Ying-jeou opposed it, and Hsu was forced to be relegated to compete for the position of vice-speaker.[3]

In 2008, after the election of Ma Ying-jeou as President of Taiwan, Hsu officially joined the KMT. He stated that the reason for joining was that his beliefs were closer to the Kuomintang. In 2010, Hsu was elected Speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council.

In 2018, he was re-elected as Speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council.[4]

Hsu jumped to his death from his apartment in Kaohsiung on 6 June 2020, hours after the Han Kuo-yu mayoral recall vote.[5] [6] Hsu was known for being an ardent supporter of Han.[7]

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-11-30 . 【海派議長】曾為民進黨創黨黨員 許崑源通吃藍綠縱橫40年 -- 上報 / 焦點 . 2023-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130005000/https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?SerialNo=89436 . 2020-11-30 .
  2. Web site: 七連霸議員力挺韓國瑜選上市長!許崑源墜樓震驚政壇 . 2023-02-26 . tw.news.yahoo.com . 7 June 2020 . zh-Hant-TW.
  3. Web site: 2020-06-06 . 許崑源曾助馬英九打總統選戰 當選議長後韓國瑜還到場助賀 ETtoday政治 ETtoday新聞雲 . 2023-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200606145747/https://www.ettoday.net/news/20200606/1731899.htm . 2020-06-06 .
  4. Web site: 2020-06-06 . 高雄市議會議長選舉 許崑源當選議長 地方 中央社 CNA . 2023-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200606154833/https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aloc/201812250077.aspx . 2020-06-06 .
  5. https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202006060018 Kaohsiung council speaker jumps to death after Han recall election
  6. Web site: City council speaker commits suicide after pr.... 2020-06-09. Taiwan News. 6 June 2020 .
  7. Web site: Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Hsu Kun-yuan falls to his death . 2023-02-26 . RTI Radio Taiwan International . zh-Hant-TW.