Taiwan's U.S. envoy pledges to improve amid workplace bullying claims

Taipei, April 2 (CNA) Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States, Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) said on Thursday that he "felt bad" about his "management style" and pledged to improve, amid accusations made online over the past few weeks alleging workplace bullying involving him and his wife.

In a statement issued to the local press, Yui said he was sorry for the disturbances he caused to Taiwanese society through ongoing online discussions about him and his family.

He said he understands that his management style needs to "keep pace with the times," and that he "felt bad" for causing trouble for his team and staff at Taiwan's representative office in Washington, D.C.

He added that he is willing to improve his management style and communicate more effectively with his staff, and called for an investigation into accusations against him in the local media, which he described as "pure fabrication."

Yui's statement was released a day after Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told lawmakers in Taipei that he would ask Yui to respond publicly to the accusations of workplace bullying.

Lin also said his ministry has a "zero-tolerance policy" on workplace bullying and that the ministry's personnel department is in the process of clarifying the accusations made against Yui and his wife.

Lin made the remarks during a legislative session in Taipei, where several lawmakers pressed him on how the ministry had responded to the accusations.

Citing online allegations and tips received by fellow lawmakers, opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) accused Yui and his wife of repeatedly scolding embassy staff for what they deemed to be less-than-satisfactory services.

In response, Lin also called on alleged victims of workplace bullying to file official complaints with his ministry so that it can launch a formal investigation into the matter.

This is not the first time Yui has been embroiled in controversy since taking office in late 2023.

In 2024, Yui was accused of spending taxpayer money on luxury items and renovating his official residence, according to a local magazine citing an unnamed diplomat.

At the time, Yui defended his decision to use government funds to renovate his official residence, saying it was for "diplomatic purposes" and not for personal benefit.