The Executive Yuan announced today that Minister without Portfolio Luo Ying-shay has been tapped to become the nation's new minister of justice, replacing Tseng Yung-fu, who resigned earlier this month.
Luo holds a bachelor of laws degree from National Taiwan University as well as a master's degree in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany in the U.S.
Her previous experience includes specialist and senior specialist at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ); deputy director of the Taipei Juvenile Detention House, MOJ; an attorney-at-law; board member, deputy secretary-general, publisher, board director and board supervisor of the Consumers' Foundation, Chinese Taipei; and national policy advisor to the ROC president. At present, she concurrently holds the posts of Executive Yuan minister without portfolio, minister of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission (MTAC), and governor of Fujian Province.
As an attorney, Luo was actively involved in the amendments of the 1993 Child Welfare Act and the 2003 Children and Youth Welfare Act. She also petitioned the Constitutional Court to review Article 1089 of the Civil Code, which stipulated that the father of a minor shall have the right of final decision in exercising parental rights. As a result, the justices overturned the stipulation and held that the law should consider the best interests of the child in situations of parental disagreement.
At the MTAC, Luo was the first minister to ever visit Mongolia on official business. She also pushed for permanent resident rights for Tibetan spouses in Taiwan that have no citizenship. As minister without portfolio, Luo oversaw criminal law reviews to stiffen penalties for sex offenders, drunk drivers and other menaces to society.
The Executive Yuan described Luo as a person of integrity and diligence, and an ardent proponent of human rights. After the death of army conscript Hung Chung-chiu, she helped the Ministry of National Defense map out improvements to the military's grievance, disciplinary and appeals systems. Luo also convened a committee to handle petitions concerning past cases of suspected military injustice. In her future role as minister of justice, she is expected to continue defending judicial independence and help bring Taiwan's human rights on par with international standards.