Ko Wen-je coughs without covering mouth at campaign event; nearby candidate recoils

Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time for coughing without covering his mouth during a campaign event in Taichung. The incident, which occurred while he was accompanying local candidate Liu Chin-yu, was captured on video and quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism.

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I thought covering your mouth when coughing was the minimum standard of human decency.

During a street canvassing event, Ko, who appeared to be suffering from a cold, was seen coughing and blowing his nose without wearing a mask. When he coughed again while being interviewed, Liu Chin-yu, who was standing beside him with a smile, visibly changed her expression to one of disgust and took a step back, seemingly to avoid the spray.

The footage of Liu's reaction and Ko's apparent lack of hygiene quickly spread across social media platforms like Threads. Online commenters expressed dismay, with many calling his behavior unhygienic and lacking basic manners. Some users pointed out that Ko, a former physician, should be more mindful of public health and etiquette. "I thought covering your mouth when coughing was the minimum standard of human decency," one user commented.

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How can someone who was a doctor be so unhygienic and impolite?

Following the online backlash, Ko Wen-je was observed wearing a mask at a party event the following day. This incident follows a previous controversy where Ko was involved in a "pepper spray incident" during a campaign event in Taichung's Fengjia night market.

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The girl's expression was truly 'disgusted but polite'.