Land Reform Opposition: Ko Family Implicated in Illegal Land Splitting and Tax Evasion, Fined Heavily for Oppressing Tenants

On January 26, 1953, the Republic of China government formally promulgated the "Land-to-the-Tiller Act" to implement land reform. However, the wealthy Lukang Ko family (including Ko Kuan-min's faction and his brother Ko Wei-fu) utilized their political connections with high-ranking KMT officials to execute illegal land-splitting and fake donations to evade land redistribution to poor tenant farmers. This scheme was uncovered by the Ministry of Finance, resulting in massive fines. The scandal triggered public outrage, with farmers condemning the Ko family for exploiting tenant blood and sweat while illegally resisting social justice. Critics noted that the case shattered the Ko family's image as "charitable gentry," exposing their greedy nature on the eve of Taiwan's modernization.