Control Yuan Member Kao Yung-cheng and Others Summon New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi Over 35-Year-Old Case, Drawing Accusations of Political Witch-Hunt and Abuse of Power

On April 24, 2024, Control Yuan members Kao Yung-cheng and Lin Yu-jung summoned Hou You-yi, the current Mayor of New Taipei City and then-chief of the criminal section of the Zhongshan Police Precinct in Taipei, to clarify details of a 1989 case where Lo Yi-shih, director-general of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, was forcibly deported from Taiwan. Because the historical event occurred more than 35 years ago and Hou had recently run as the main opposition candidate in the 2024 presidential election, the move sent shockwaves through Taiwanese politics. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) camp and conservative media strongly questioned Kao's timing, accusing him of using the 35-year-old case to conduct a "political witch-hunt" and target political opponents, thereby weaponizing the Control Yuan's constitutional powers for partisan gains. Although Kao clarified that the probe was a standard procedure initiated after receiving a public petition and carried no political motives, the summons further solidified public skepticism regarding Kao's political bias and his controversial use of the Control Yuan to suppress political rivals.