Independent Taipei mayoral candidate, Ko Wen-je, has said that he will apologize for his comments if they made people uncomfortable. But he said that he did not mean to belittle women.
While stumping for a DPP mayoral candidate in southern Taiwan on Saturday, Ko said that the young and attractive female Kuomintang (KMT) candidate was better suited to “sitting behind a receptionist’s desk or being a spokesperson for the tourism bureau, than acting as mayor.” Ko’s words have sparked an outcry among female politicians. Nine female KMT Taipei City Councilors held a joint press conference to denounce Ko and his remarks. The nine said that Ko has clearly shown that he is an outright male chauvinist and stressed that this is just the tip of the iceberg. They cited several occasions where Ko has made remarks that have been seen as misogynistic.
Responding to the criticism, Ko said that the main point of his remarks on Saturday was that he thinks the candidate does not have the experience and abilities required of a mayor. He said he did not mean to put down the female gender. But he said he is willing to apologize if his comments made people uncomfortable.