Ko Wen-je facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ko Wen-je
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| 柯文哲 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Ko in 2024
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| 1st Chairman of the Taiwan People's Party | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 August 2019 – 1 January 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Huang Kuo-chang (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th Mayor of Taipei | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 December 2014 – 25 December 2022 |
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| Deputy |
See list
Charles Lin
Chou Li-fang Chen Chin-jun Teng Chia-chi Pong Cheng-sheng Tsai Ping-kun Huang Shan-shan |
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| Preceded by | Hau Lung-pin | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Chiang Wan-an | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 August 1960 Hsinchu City, Taiwan |
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| Political party | Taiwan People's Party (2019–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Peggy Chen | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents | Ho Jui-ying Ko Cheng-fa |
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| Relatives | Ko Mei-lan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch/service | Republic of China Army | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1986–1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit | 269th Mechanized Infantry Division | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 柯文哲 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Ko Wen-je (Chinese: 柯文哲; pinyin: Kē Wénzhé; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koa Bûn-tiat), born on August 6, 1960, is a well-known Taiwanese politician and doctor. People often call him Ko P (Chinese: 柯P; pinyin: Kē Pī; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koa Phi), which means "Professor Ko." He served as the mayor of Taipei, Taiwan's capital city, from 2014 to 2022.
Ko Wen-je also started a political group called the Taiwan People's Party (TPP). He was the leader of this party from its beginning in 2019 until 2025. Before he became a mayor, he was a skilled surgeon at National Taiwan University Hospital. He also taught at National Taiwan University College of Medicine.
His medical work focused on helping people with serious injuries, intensive care, and organ transplants. He was also an expert in using special machines like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and artificial organs. Ko Wen-je helped make organ transplant rules better in Taiwan. He was also the first doctor to bring ECMO technology to Taiwan.
In 2014, Ko Wen-je ran for mayor of Taipei as an independent candidate, meaning he wasn't part of a major political party. He won the election, becoming the first doctor to be elected mayor of the city. In 2024, he ran for president of Taiwan, offering a "third way" between the two main political parties.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ko Wen-je grew up in a simple family. His father, Ko Cheng-fa, hoped that Ko, as the oldest son, would become a medical doctor. His mother's name is Ho Jui-ying. After finishing National Hsinchu Senior High School, Ko studied medicine for a year at National Yang-Ming University. He then passed his university entrance exams again and was accepted into the Medical School at National Taiwan University.
From August 1986 to September 1988, Ko served in the military. He was a combat medic in the 269th mechanized infantry division of the Republic of China Army. His rank was second lieutenant.
Medical Career and Achievements
After finishing medical school, Ko Wen-je scored the highest in the country on his medical license exams. He decided to become a surgeon and work in emergency care, helping people on the front lines of the emergency room. In 1993, he went to the United States for a year to study artificial liver research at the University of Minnesota.
When he returned to Taiwan in 1994, Ko continued working in the emergency room. He also started his PhD studies at National Taiwan University. He helped create the university's first organ transplant team, aiming to perform heart transplants. To make transplants more successful, Ko brought ECMO treatment from the US. This helped improve the success rate of transplants.
On January 30, 2008, Ko set a world record by keeping a patient alive for 117 days using ECMO. He also created new standards for organ transplant procedures in Taiwan. These standards were later used across the country by the Department of Health. In 2002, Ko earned his PhD in clinical medicine from National Taiwan University.
Ko also shared his medical knowledge internationally. Since 2000, he has attended many medical conferences in the People's Republic of China. He also helped introduce ECMO treatment there.
Ko Wen-je became very well-known in Taiwan. This happened especially after he helped save the life of Shirley Shaw in 2006. She was the wife of Taichung Mayor Jason Hu and had been in a coma after a car accident. Ko used ECMO to help her recover.
In 2010, Ko brought the idea of integrated care from America to Taiwan. He set up the Integrated Care Unit at National Taiwan University Hospital. This unit aimed to lower treatment costs and improve care quality for both patients and medical staff. Ko also led the emergency team that treated Sean Lien in 2010 after he was shot. Lien recovered quickly, and Ko confirmed the details of his injury.
Supporting Chen Shui-bian
When Chen Shui-bian became Taipei City Mayor in 1994, Ko Wen-je supported him from the medical community. He also helped Chen with fundraising for the 2000 Taiwanese presidential election. Ko was a long-time member of the "Friends of A-bian Club." In 2012, Ko joined a course at Ketagalan Institute, a school Chen founded. Ko explained he joined because he was asked, but he did not sign a petition asking for Chen to be pardoned.
When Chen Shui-bian's health worsened in prison, Ko organized a medical team for him. Around June 2012, Ko and other doctors started a petition asking for Chen to be released for medical care. Ko often said that Chen should be allowed to leave prison for health reasons.
Becoming Mayor of Taipei
2014 Mayoral Election
On January 6, 2014, Ko Wen-je announced he would run for Taipei City Mayor. He opened his campaign office on January 16. Ko said that some past issues in his medical career made him decide to run for mayor. He chose to run as an independent candidate, but he worked closely with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
During the DPP's primary elections, Ko debated Pasuya Yao. Ko won the DPP polls, and on June 16, the DPP decided not to put forward their own candidate. Instead, they supported Ko as an independent candidate.
Ko's campaign was managed by a team of experienced people. These included Yao Li-ming, Lee Ying-yuan, and Chi Cheng. His advisors included political scientist Julian Kuo. Ko also had spokespeople like city councilor Chien Yue-yen.
Ko Wen-je won the Taipei mayoral election on November 29, 2014. He received 853,983 votes, which was 57.16% of the total. He then appointed Teng Chia-chi, Charles Lin, and Chou Li-fang as deputy mayors.
| 2014 Taipei mayoral election result | ||||||
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| No. | Candidate | Party | Votes | Percentage | ||
| 1 | Chen Ju-pin | Self Help Party | 1,624 | 0.11% | ||
| 2 | Chao Yen-ching | Independent | 15,898 | 1.06% | ||
| 3 | Lee Hung-hsin (李宏信) | Independent | 2,621 | 0.18% | ||
| 4 | Chen Yung-chang | Independent | 1,908 | 0.13% | ||
| 5 | Neil Peng | Independent | 8,080 | 0.54% | ||
| 6 | Sean Lien | Kuomintang | 609,932 | 40.82% | ||
| 7 | Ko Wen-je | Independent | 853,983 | 57.16% |
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2018 Mayoral Election
In 2018, Ko Wen-je ran for mayor again. This time, the DPP did not support him and put forward their own candidate. However, many voters who usually supported the "pan-Green" parties still supported Ko. They believed he had the best chance to win against the Kuomintang candidate. Ko was reelected as mayor of Taipei in the 2018 Taiwanese local elections, winning by a small number of votes. In March 2019, he named Tsai Ping-kun as another deputy mayor.
| 2018 Taipei mayoral election result | |||||
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| No. | Candidate | Party | Votes | Percentage | |
| 1 | Wu Er-yang | .svg){kind=icon} Independent |
5,617 | 0.40% | |
| 2 | Ting Shou-chung | Kuomintang | 577,566 | 40.82% | |
| 3 | Pasuya Yao | Democratic Progressive Party | 244,641 | 17.29% | |
| 4 | Ko Wen-je | Independent |
580,820 | 41.05% |
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| 5 | Lee Si-kuen | Independent |
6,172 | 0.44% | |
| Total voters | 2,164,155 | ||||
| Valid votes | 1,413,870 | ||||
| Invalid votes | 13,355 | ||||
| Voter turnout | 65.95% | ||||
Taiwan People's Party
In July 2019, Ko Wen-je suggested creating a new political party called the Taiwan People's Party (TPP). The party officially started on August 6, 2019, which was also Ko's 60th birthday. At this meeting, Ko was chosen as the party's chairman. Ko said that the TPP aims to be a new choice for voters. It wants to be different from the two main parties in Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT).
2024 Presidential Campaign
On May 8, 2023, Ko Wen-je signed up as the only candidate for the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to run for president. On May 17, the TPP officially chose Ko as their presidential candidate. He formally announced his campaign at a press conference on May 20.
On November 15, 2023, the TPP and KMT leaders announced a plan to run together. They would have one presidential ticket with Ko and KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih. However, Ko and the KMT leaders could not agree on the details. So, on November 19, Ko said he would still run for president as the TPP candidate. He officially registered his candidacy with his running mate Cynthia Wu on November 24.
Ko Wen-je accepted his loss in the presidential election to Lai Ching-te on January 13, 2024. He stated that the TPP had shown that Taiwan's politics were no longer only controlled by the Pan-Blue or Pan-Green groups.
Political Views
Relations with Mainland China
Ko Wen-je's views on relations with mainland China have changed over time. At first, he was closer to the pan-Green camp. He supported Tsai Ing-wen in the 2012 presidential election. He also helped her campaign raise money. He was a member of the "Friends of Ing Club," which supported Tsai. However, he also criticized Tsai's idea of a "Taiwan consensus" for not being clear enough. In 2014, Ko said his goals were similar to the DPP's. He often expressed his dislike for the KMT. In September 2016, he said he would not join the DPP and would stay independent until his term as mayor ended.
After the 2016 Taiwanese general election, Ko's views started to shift. He began to use language that was friendlier towards the People's Republic of China. His TPP party also gained support from politicians in the pan-Blue camp. He also built close relationships with important figures, like Foxconn founder Terry Gou.
Ko generally supports keeping things as they are regarding Taiwan's political status. During his time as Taipei mayor, he often used the phrase "two sides of the Strait, one family" (Chinese: 兩岸一家親). This phrase shows his views on relations with mainland China. When asked about the 1992 Consensus, Ko said that it doesn't seem popular in Taiwan. He suggested maybe changing its name.
Ko has also supported closer economic ties with mainland China. He has said he supports restarting talks for the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement. He also suggested building a bridge between Kinmen and Xiamen. He believes this bridge could help solve problems with water, power, and waste disposal in Kinmen.
Personal Life
Ko Wen-je's wife is Chen Pei-chi. She was born in Penghu, Taiwan. She studied medicine at National Taiwan University. She is currently a director of Pediatrics at Taipei City Hospital. Ko and Chen had an arranged marriage and have three children: one boy and two girls. It is known that Ko earns less money as a mayor than his wife does as a doctor. He once joked that his wife could not retire early because they still needed to pay off their home loan. Ko has mentioned that he believes he has Asperger syndrome, though he had not been officially diagnosed as of 2014. His son has been diagnosed with the condition.
Images for kids
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A checkmark icon, often used to show a winning candidate.
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Icon representing an independent candidate in Taiwan.
See also
In Spanish: Ko Wen-je para niños
