Executive Yuan confirmed that Hong Shenhan will be replaced by Labor Minister Wang Yichuan.

On November 22, 2024, Labor Minister He Peshan resigned following the suicide of a civil servant in the Labor Department. The resignation was accepted after backlash over the investigation report’s leniency. In the same evening, Hong Shenhan, a legislator from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), agreed to take over as the new Minister of Labor.

Hong Shenhan’s appointment comes as the situation draws public attention. His appointment will leave a vacancy in the DPP’s non-regional legislator posts, which will be filled by Wang Yichuan, the Executive Director of the DPP’s Policy Council.

Hong Shenhan has addressed the incident, stating that it has exposed various administrative issues within the Ministry of Labor. He emphasized the need to eradicate fake card phenomena within the ministry.

A social activist, Hong Shenhan has a history of engagement in public issues. He has worked on anti-nuclear initiatives and served as the Deputy Secretary General of the Green Citizen Action Alliance. He has also held positions as an expert member of the Executive Yuan’s Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Information Openness Advisory Group. Additionally, he has served as a legislator and focused on labor rights, energy, and environmental protection.

About Hong Shenhan:

• Birthday: October 18, 1984
• Education: Graduated from the Department of Atmospheric Science, National Taiwan University
• Experience:
  • Deputy Secretary General of the Green Citizen Action Alliance
  • Expert Member of the Executive Yuan’s Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction
  • Member of the Taipei City Citizen Participation Committee
  • Director of the Youth Platform Foundation
  • DPP Legislator (two terms)

Hong Shenhan’s appointment shows a responsiveness to recent events and aims to address the underlying issues facing the Ministry of Labor.