TAIPEI: Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je was released on bail after fulfilling a revised payment of NT$70 million (US$2.13 million) at the Taipei District Court. The move comes as Ko faces an impending corruption trial linked to alleged misconduct during his tenure as Taipei mayor.

According to Focus Taiwan, Ko's wife, Chen Pei-chi, delivered the remaining NT$40 million in cash to the court just hours before the deadline, supplementing Ko's initial NT$30 million bail. Ko, who had been held in a trial waiting room since a bail hearing concluded late Sunday, left the courthouse at 3:43 p.m., accompanied by Chen and several TPP officials. He did not address questions from the media.

Ko, who is the TPP's candidate for the 2024 presidential election, was indicted on charges including bribery and corruption related to real estate transactions during his mayoral term from 2018 to 2022. Initially granted NT$30 million bail by the court, Ko was released from nearly four months of detention, which was part of a broader investigation by prosecutors.

Prosecutors soon contested his release, prompting the Taiwan High Court to overturn the lower court's decision and mandate a reconsideration of bail for Ko and three other individuals implicated in the case. Following a lengthy detention hearing, the Taipei District Court increased Ko's bail to NT$70 million and required him to wear an electronic monitoring device. The other suspects, real estate mogul Sheen Ching-jing, former mayoral office head Lee Wen-tsung, and Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei, were released after posting their own revised bails of NT$100 million, NT$20 million, and NT$30 million, respectively.

Ko is facing a potential cumulative sentence of 28.5 years, comprising 15 years for bribery, additional years for separate embezzlement charges, and 2.5 years for breach of public trust, as outlined in the indictment.