1. Overview
Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文Guō GuówénChinese; born March 11, 1967), also known by his English name Robert Kuo, is a Taiwanese politician. He is also known in Japanese as 郭 国文Kaku Kokubun (Guō Guówén)Japanese and in Korean as 궈궈원GweogwowonKorean. A prominent figure in Taiwan's labor movement, he served as secretary-general of both the Taiwan Labor Front and the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions. His extensive political career includes roles as a National Assembly representative and a Tainan City Council member. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Labor in 2016 and has been a member of the Legislative Yuan since March 2019, having been re-elected for subsequent terms in 2020 and 2024. This article details his background, activism, political journey, and comprehensive electoral history.
2. Early Life and Education
2.1. Birth and Early Life
Kuo Kuo-wen was born on March 11, 1967, in Guanmiao Township, Tainan County, Taiwan Province, Republic of China. This area is now known as Guanmiao District within Tainan City.
2.2. Education
Kuo Kuo-wen pursued higher education, earning a master's degree from the Graduate Institute of National Development at National Taiwan University. He furthered his academic qualifications by obtaining a Ph.D. in political science from National Cheng Kung University, specifically from its Graduate Institute of Political Economy.
3. Activism and Labor Movement
Kuo Kuo-wen has been deeply involved in the labor movement in Taiwan, dedicating a significant portion of his career to advocating for workers' rights and welfare. He held key leadership positions within prominent labor organizations, serving as the secretary-general for both the Taiwan Labor Front and the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions. In these roles, he played a crucial part in shaping labor policies and promoting social justice for workers across Taiwan.
4. Political Career
Kuo Kuo-wen's political career spans several levels of government, from local councils to national legislative and executive bodies.
4.1. Early Political Activities
Kuo Kuo-wen's initial foray into politics included serving as a representative in the National Assembly for a brief period from May 30, 2005, to June 7, 2005. He later became a member of the Tainan City Council, representing the Ninth Electoral District. He was first elected to the council in 2010 and subsequently re-elected, serving two terms from December 25, 2010, until May 19, 2016. Before these elected positions, he also held administrative roles, including serving as the Director of the Tainan County Government Administrative Management Office, and contributed to academia as an Assistant Professor at Chang Jung Christian University. In 2015, he participated in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) primary election for the legislative seat in Tainan City's Fifth Electoral District but was not selected, losing to Wang Ting-yu.
4.2. Deputy Minister of Labor
In May 2016, Kuo Kuo-wen was appointed Deputy Minister of Labor, joining the Lin Chuan Cabinet. This appointment necessitated his departure from the Tainan City Council, as he vacated his seat to assume the national executive position. He served in the labor ministry until September 2017, when he resigned from the post, citing personal reasons for his departure.
4.3. Legislative Yuan Member
Following his tenure as Deputy Minister of Labor, Kuo Kuo-wen transitioned into legislative politics. In 2018, he served as the spokesperson for Huang Wei-cher's successful campaign for Mayor of Tainan. When Huang Wei-cher resigned from his legislative seat, a by-election was held on March 16, 2019, for the Tainan City Second Electoral District. Although he had been considered a potential candidate for the full 2020 legislative election, Kuo instead contested this by-election. He emerged victorious, defeating four other candidates, including Kuomintang candidate Hsieh Lung-chieh. Despite the district being a traditional stronghold for the Democratic Progressive Party, Kuo's margin of victory was less than three percent. He was sworn in as a member of the Legislative Yuan on March 21, 2019. Kuo successfully secured a full legislative term in the 10th Legislative Yuan election in 2020, garnering over 120,097 votes and more than 60% of the vote share, defeating Kuomintang candidate Lee Wu-lung. He was re-elected for the 11th Legislative Yuan in 2024, continuing his service as a legislator.
5. Electoral History
Kuo Kuo-wen has participated in several elections throughout his political career, demonstrating his electoral performance across different levels of government.
| Year | Election | Electoral District | Political Party | Votes | Vote Share | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | National Assembly Representative Election | Democratic Progressive Party | 1,647,791 | 42.52% |  | ||
| 2010 | 1st Tainan City Council Election | Ninth Electoral District | Democratic Progressive Party | 15,443 | 11.99% | | |
| 2014 | 2nd Tainan City Council Election | Ninth Electoral District | 14,203 | 11.14% | | ||
| 2019 | 9th Legislative Yuan By-election | Tainan City Second Electoral District (until 2016) | 62,858 | 47.05% | | ||
| 2020 | 10th Legislative Yuan Election | Tainan City Second Electoral District | 120,097 | 63.96% | | Electoral district reorganization | |
| 2024 | 11th Legislative Yuan Election | Tainan City Second Electoral District | 97,981 | 54.93% | | ||
6. Notable Incidents
On May 17, 2024, Kuo Kuo-wen was involved in a widely publicized incident within the Legislative Yuan. During proceedings, he snatched documents from Chester Chou, the Secretary-General of the Legislative Yuan, and quickly left the scene. This spontaneous action drew significant media attention in Taiwan and became a notable internet meme in the country.
7. Personal Life
Information regarding Kuo Kuo-wen's personal life, including details about his family, is not available in the provided source documents.