Lin Kuo-cheng (born 1966)
{{Short description|Taiwanese politician (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Lin Kuo-cheng
| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-tw|林國正}}}}
| native_name_lang = zh-tw
| honorific-suffix = MLY
| image = 中華民國立法委員林國正.jpg
| caption =
| office = Member of the Legislative Yuan
| status =
| term_start = 1 February 2012
| term_end = 31 January 2016
| predecessor = {{ill|Kuo Wen-cheng|zh|郭玟成}}
| successor = {{ill|Lai Jui-lung|zh|賴瑞隆}}
| constituency = Kaohsiung 9
| office1 = Member of the Kaohsiung City Council
| term_start1 = 25 December 2002
| term_end1 = 31 January 2012
| constituency1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1966|11|26}}
| birth_place = Wuqi, Taichung, Taiwan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Kuomintang
| otherparty =
| spouse =
| education = National Taiwan University (BA)
National Central University (MA)
}}
Lin Kuo-cheng ({{zh|t=林國正}}; 26 November 1966) is a Taiwanese politician. He was a member of the Kaohsiung City Council from 2002 to 2012, when he was elected to the Legislative Yuan, on which he served until 2016.
Early life and education
Lin was raised in Wuqi District, Taichung, to a family of fishers.{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Yen-ting |last2=Pan |first2=Jason |title=Industry and legislators try to dispel fish concerns |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/11/08/2003576413 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=8 November 2013}} He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics at National Taiwan University and a master's degree in financial management at National Central University.{{cite news |title=Lin Kuo-cheng (8) |url=https://www.ly.gov.tw/Pages/List.aspx?nodeid=11975 |access-date=20 January 2024 |agency=Legislative Yuan}}
Political career
=Kaohsiung City Council=
Lin was elected to two terms on the Kaohsiung City Council from 2002 to 2010, and served a partial term after Kaohsiung had been named a special municipality. In May 2007, Lin criticized Kaohsiung City Government Education Bureau director Cheng Ying-yao for politicizing education, after the bureau had issued an administrative order stated that city schools should stop using the phrase "commander's podiums" for school podiums. The phrase had been in use since the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China assumed control of Taiwan.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Flora |title=Renaming of school podiums sparks ruckus in Kaohsiung |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/05/22/2003361951 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=22 May 2007}} In October 2007, Lin drew attention to Chi Cheng's suspected violations of hiring regulations in advance of the 2009 World Games to be held in Kaohsiung.{{cite news |last1=Hsu |first1=Jenny W. |title=Kaohsiung World Games organizer promises openness |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/30/2003385436 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=30 October 2007}} In 2008, Lin criticized the city government for removing a flag of the Republic of China in a parade held to mark the one-year period before the games.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Flora |title=Flag-nabbing officials draw criticism |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/16/2003417619 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=16 July 2008}} In May 2009, he opposed a carbon tax proposal for Kaohsiung-based businesses, stating that the tax rates for local businesses should be raised instead.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Flora |title=Carbon tariff for polluters grinds to halt in Kaohsiung |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/05/29/2003444821 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=29 May 2009}} In 2010, Lin opined that the Kaohsiung City Government was not doing enough to improve security on school campuses.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Flora |title=Chen Chu calls for increased campus security |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/06/01/2003474390 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=1 June 2010}}
=Legislative Yuan=
Lin ran as a Kuomintang candidate in the 2008 Taiwanese legislative election, losing Kaohsiung's fifth district seat in the Legislative Yuan to Democratic Progressive Party candidate {{ill|Kuo Wen-cheng|zh|郭玟成}}.{{cite news |title=Legislative elections and referendums |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2008/01/13/TT-970113-P04-1-IB.pdf |work=Taipei Times |date=13 January 2008}} Lin was nominated by the Kuomintang to run again in 2012,{{cite news |last1=Mo |first1=Yan-chih |title=2012 ELECTIONS: KMT’s candidates slam lack of support |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/11/10/2003517948 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=10 November 2011}} and won election to the 8th Legislative Yuan, finishing ahead of incumbent lawmaker Kuo and Chen Shui-bian's son {{ill|Chen Chih-chung|zh|陳致中}}, who was contesting the race as political independent.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Chris |title=Chen Chih-chung to run in election |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2011/09/02/2003512255 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=2 September 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=2012 ELECTIONS: Pan-greens make gains in legislature |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/01/15/2003523294 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 January 2012}}
During Lin's first year in office, he questioned national defense minister Kao Hua-chu on Taiwan's indigenous submarine program.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Jyh-perng |title=Can Taiwan build a submarine? |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2012/03/29/2003528945 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=29 March 2013}} The following year, Lin questioned National Communications Commission head Howard Shyr on the decision to approve a change of board members for Taiwan Broadband Communications,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Commission to examine TBC funding |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/12/10/2003578693 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=10 December 2013}} and advocated for the removal of Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming from his post after Huang had disclosed classified information.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Rich |last2=Chen |first2=Yen-ting |last3=Tseng |first3=Wei-chen |title=Top prosecutor should be dismissed, panel suggests |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/12/15/2003579043 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 December 2013}} In 2014, Lin drew attention to the unequal distribution of wealth in Taiwan,{{cite news |last1=Hsiao |first1=Alison |title=KMT questions benefits to public of service pact |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/04/23/2003588692 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=23 April 2014}} and commented on the business operations of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=MOTC head lists goals on high-speed rail’s finances |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/09/25/2003600541 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 September 2014}} as well as the gas explosions in Kaohsiung that year.{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Kevin |last2=Hsiao |first2=Alison |title=Minister offers to resign following gas explosions |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/08/08/2003596910 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=8 August 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Hsiao |first1=Alison |title=KMT steps up Chen Chu attacks |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/08/09/2003596989 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=9 August 2014}} In December 2014, an attempt to recall Lin from his legislative office failed,{{cite news |last1=Gerber |first1=Abraham |title=Greater Kaohsiung recall activists issue apology |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/12/05/2003606031 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=5 December 2014}} and he declared his opposition to Mao Chi-kuo's appointment as premier.{{cite news |last1=Hsiao |first1=Alison |title=Vice Premier Mao set to replace Jiang |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/12/04/2003605929 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=4 December 2014}} In 2015, Lin advocated for increased governmental investment in national and cybersecurity{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Legislators blast government’s app privacy policies |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/01/22/2003609831 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=22 January 2015}} and for amendments to the Labor Pension Act.{{cite news |title=KMT lawmaker calls for Labor Pension Act reform |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/08/10/2003625015 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=10 August 2015}} He was critical of governmental ineffectiveness in the aftermath of the TransAsia Airways Flight 235 crash, drawing particular attention to premier Mao Chi-kuo's previous tenure as transportation minister from 2008 to 2013.{{cite news |last1=Tseng |first1=Wei-chen |last2=Chen |first2=Wei-han |title=TAIPEI CRASH: Legislators slam government for response to crash |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/02/07/2003611016 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=7 February 2015}}
=Later political career=
Lin was the campaign manager for Kuomintang presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu in the 2020 election.{{cite news |last1=Maxon |first1=Ann |title=KMT chapter revokes Han critic’s membership |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/08/13/2003720405 |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=13 August 2019}}
References
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Category:Kaohsiung City Councilors
Category:Members of the 8th Legislative Yuan
Category:Kaohsiung Members of the Legislative Yuan
Category:Kuomintang Members of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan
Category:National Taiwan University alumni
Category:National Central University alumni
Category:Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Taichung