Image Credit: Taiwan News
Wu San-long, the Secretary-General of Taiwan’s Judicial Yuan, tendered his resignation to President Lai Ching-te on Friday, September 13. This resignation, which has been approved by the Presidential Office, will see Wu step down from his position on October 1. Wu, who was appointed to this role in June 2023 under the Tsai administration, is set to be succeeded by Deputy Secretary-General Huang Lin-lun, who will serve as acting secretary-general until a permanent replacement is appointed. Huang has held the position of deputy secretary-general since August 2022.
The resignation comes against a backdrop of growing public scrutiny of the Judicial Yuan. Wu’s departure follows reports that he was notably absent from an annual retreat for top officials of the Judicial Yuan, which was presided over by Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Hsu Tzong-li. Sources indicate that Wu’s performance over the past year has faced considerable criticism, contributing to dissatisfaction within the organisation.
The timing of Wu’s resignation is significant, given that Taiwan’s Constitutional Court is currently reviewing new legislation aimed at expanding the Legislative Yuan’s powers, led by the Kuomintang (KMT). Additionally, the Court is expected to issue a potentially contentious ruling on the constitutionality of the death penalty by September 22.
Wu’s resignation underscores the heightened tensions and challenges facing the Judicial Yuan as it navigates these critical issues.