Kuo Lin-yung

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Kuo Lin-yung
郭林勇
Kuo during his tenure on the Sixth Legislative Yuan
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 2005 – 31 January 2008
ConstituencyRepublic of China
In office
1 February 1984 – 31 January 1987
ConstituencyTaiwan 3rd
Taichung City, Taichung County, Changhua, Nantou
Personal details
Born (1946-11-20) 20 November 1946 (age 77)
Yuanlin, Changhua County, Taiwan, Republic of China
NationalityRepublic of China
Political partyTaiwan Solidarity Union (from 2004)
Other political
affiliations
Kuomintang
Alma materNational Chung Hsing University

Kuo Lin-yung (Chinese: 郭林勇; pinyin: Guō Línyǒng; born 20 November 1946), is a Taiwanese politician. During his first term on the Legislative Yuan from 1984 to 1987, he was affiliated with the Kuomintang. He returned to the legislature between 2005 and 2008, representing the Taiwan Solidarity Union. He is also a lawyer who has led the Taichung Bar Association and Taiwan Bar Association, and served as deputy minister of justice. In 2010, he was a member of the Referendum Review Committee convened by the Executive Yuan.

Personal life and education[edit]

Kuo was interested in art and painting in elementary school. He played baseball throughout high school, university and graduate school, and was team captain. Kuo also competed in the hurdles and 400m relay.[1] Kuo earned a master's of arts in legal studies at National Chung Hsing University.[2] He led the Taichung Bar Association, and later the Taiwan Bar Association.[2] Kuo married a junior high school teacher. When she retired, she took an art class and was soon joined by Kuo. Kuo returned to painting in 1998 and jointly exhibited his works alongside his wife's for the first time in 2003.[1]

Political career[edit]

Kuo was elected to the first Legislative Yuan in 1983, representing the Kuomintang and the Taiwan 3rd district.[2] He resumed the practice of law after losing the 1986 legislative election.[1] During the 2004 presidential election, Kuo served as legal counsel for the Democratic Progressive Party.[3] He represented the Taiwan Solidarity Union party list in the 2004 legislative election.[4] In June 2005, Lin was selected one of four caucus whips for the TSU, serving alongside Ho Min-hao, David Huang, and George Liu.[5] Party chairman Huang Chu-wen stepped down from the position in December 2004 and supported Kuo's candidacy for the leadership,[6] who registered for the election later that month.[7] Lee Teng-hui backed Shu Chin-chiang, who eventually was appointed party chairman in January 2005, Lin expressed dissatisfaction with the procedure.[8] When the Ministry of Finance proposed an alternative minimum tax in 2005, Kuo stated that the proposal would not tax overseas income.[9] Commenting on a People First Party bill to grant investigative powers to legislators, Kuo said that, while the Constitutional Court had ruled favorably on the legislature's investigative rights, such a bill should not violate constitutionally guaranteed separation of powers.[10] While reviewing amendments to the Domestic Violence Prevention Law in 2006, Kuo opined that LGBT rights had been neglected up to that point, and cited the impact of the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain to improve protections.[11] Alongside Hsiao Bi-khim, Kuo urged adherence to the Administrative Procedure Law, which stated that foreigners who were denied residency or deported from Taiwan should be provided a document explaining the reasoning for the decision.[12] Later that year, Kuo commented on the judicial career of Cheng Chung-mo [zh] and urged respect for an independent Taiwanese judiciary.[13][14] In 2007, Business Weekly magazine named him one of the top legislators in Taiwan.[15] During the year, Kuo expressed support for Taiwan to apply for membership in intergovernmental organizations under the name Taiwan.[16] He later criticized the Pan-Blue coalition for blocking a TSU bill regarding Kuomintang party assets.[17] In June 2007, Kuo stated that the Taiwan Solidarity Union caucus would not support a no-confidence motion proposed by Chen Chin-te.[18] However, Ker Chien-ming, Shyu Jong-shyong, and Kuo worked together to pass amendments to consumer debt clearance regulations.[19][20] That same month, Costa Rica ended official bilateral relations with Taiwan, and Kuo questioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on initiatives to prevent other nations from ending diplomatic relations with Taiwan.[21] The next month, the foreign ministry suggested a debt reduction plan for allies. Kuo stated that he would support the plan if it did not cancel the debt, but instead focused on extending the repayment period.[22] In August 2007, the French government detained and searched two Taiwanese citizens because they provided two differently designed Taiwan passports as identification. The cover of one indicated "Taiwan," while the other lacked that designation. The "Taiwan" design was introduced to distinguish its holders from People's Republic of China citizens. In light of the incident, Kuo urged the Kuomintang not to oppose the newer designs.[23]

After stepping down from the Legislative Yuan at the end of his second term in 2008, Kuo succeeded Lee Chin-yung as deputy minister of justice.[24] After Liu Cheng-hung suggested that townships that had 75 percent or higher turnout in the 2008 presidential election be rewarded with NT$1 million in construction funds, Kuo stated that encouraging high turnout was legal, but suggesting support for a specific candidate was not.[25] In 2010, Kuo served on the Executive Yuan's Referendum Review Committee [zh]. As a committee member, he voted for a TSU-proposed referendum question: "Do you agree that the government should sign an ECFA with China?"[26] The committee as a whole voted against the referendum proposal, 12–4 in June 2010, and again, 10–2, in August 2010.[27][28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Ko, Shu-ling (11 September 2005). "Lawmakers showcase their creative talents". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Kuo Lin-yung (6)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  3. ^ Chuang, Jimmy (19 May 2004). "District courts wrap up recount". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  4. ^ "TSU names candidates, too". Taipei Times. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  5. ^ "New caucus whips named". Taipei Times. 2 August 2005.
  6. ^ "Lee Teng-hui convinces the TSU chairman to quit race". Taipei Times. 4 January 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  7. ^ Huang, Jewel (6 January 2005). "Lo Chih-ming drops out of TSU chairmanship race". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ^ Huang, Jewel (11 January 2005). "Su Chin-chiang takes over as chairman of the TSU". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ^ Lin, Jackie (24 September 2005). "Lawmakers slam exclusions from new tax proposal". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ^ Ko, Shu-ling (28 October 2005). "PFP wants amendment giving lawmakers investigative powers". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  11. ^ Lin, Jean (23 March 2006). "Domestic violence law to include homosexuals". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ^ Lin, Jean (30 March 2006). "Committee argues over deportation procedures". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  13. ^ Lin, Jean (7 April 2006). "The story of the man who blew his career in a motel". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  14. ^ Wang, Flora (19 October 2006). "Pan-greens urge respect for judicial system". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  15. ^ 陳, 立一 (2007). "郭林勇》在冷衙門修法 救四十萬卡奴". Business Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  16. ^ Ko, Shu-ling; Huang, Jewel (13 April 2007). "'Taiwan' bids for WHO membership". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  17. ^ Wang, Flora (21 April 2007). "KMT thwarts bills aimed at Ma, assets". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Chang open to toppling Cabinet". Taipei Times. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  19. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (9 June 2007). "Legislature passes debt measures". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  20. ^ "Lawmakers pass debt-clearance law bringing closure to borrowers, banks". Taiwan Today. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  21. ^ Huang, Jewel (9 June 2007). "Costa Rican leader slams Taiwanese financial aid". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  22. ^ Huang, Jewel; Shih, Hsiu-chuan (6 July 2007). "MOFA to offer debt reductions". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Protest to France, MOFA urged". Taipei Times. 1 September 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  24. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (1 February 2008). "Former legislators who lost their seats recruited to Cabinet". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  25. ^ Chang, Rich (11 March 2008). "Justice Ministry to probe high turnout reward plan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  26. ^ Loa, Iok-sin; Chao, Vincent Y. (4 June 2010). "ECFA referendum proposal rejected". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  27. ^ Chao, Vincent Y.; Lowther, William (5 June 2010). "Opposition vows '10-year' ECFA fight". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  28. ^ Chao, Vincent Y.; Loa, Iok-sin (12 August 2010). "TSU vows to go on after poll is rejected". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.