Taipei: Hsieh Yi-jung (???), the former head of the Work Development Agency’s New Taipei Office, is at the center of a controversy following the apparent suicide of her 39-year-old subordinate. Prosecutors have banned her from leaving Taiwan as they investigate allegations of criminal malfeasance related to the case.

According to Focus Taiwan, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office has issued an eight-month exit ban on Hsieh, notifying border control authorities, including the National Immigration Agency and the Coast Guard Administration. Hsieh has stated through her lawyer that she is aware of the ban and intends to comply fully with the order and any forthcoming investigations.

The controversy began when Hsieh was removed from her position after the death of a civil servant, surnamed Wu (?), who worked under her supervision. Wu’s body was discovered at the Executive Yuan’s Xinzhuang Joint Office Tower in New Taipei on November 4. Social media speculations suggested that workplace bullying by Hsieh mi
ght have contributed to Wu’s decision to take his own life.

In response to these speculations, Hsieh received two major demerits during a performance review, leading to her immediate dismissal from office. She subsequently issued a public apology, acknowledging her “poor emotional control” and “excessive requests,” which she admitted caused “significant stress” to her colleagues.

The incident has also resulted in the resignation of former Labor Minister Ho Pei-shan (???), who stepped down from her position amidst the unfolding events.