Han Kuo-yu Returns Home to Vote, Jokes About His Bald Head Turning Into a Tea Egg from Sun Exposure

The referendum on the extension of the operation of Taiwan’s Third Nuclear Power Plant (Nuclear Three) and recall votes for several KMT (Kuomintang) legislators were held simultaneously on the 23rd, with Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu traveling south to his hometown in Yunlin to cast his vote.

Han Kuo-yu, who has recently been frequently campaigning in motorcades for KMT legislators, joked during an interview while pointing at his own bald head that his head had become tanned like a tea egg.

Han's return to Yunlin demonstrated his high popularity; as he made his way to the polling station, people greeted him along the route, and some even asked him to sign Spring Festival couplets. However, he only responded with “thank you” and made no further comments.

In addition to the Nuclear Three extension referendum on the 23rd, there were also recall votes for legislators in seven districts: Luo Ming-tsai in New Taipei 11th District, Lin Si-ming in Hsinchu County 2nd District, Yen Kuan-heng in Taichung 2nd District, Yang Qiong-ying in Taichung 3rd District, Chiang Chi-chen in Taichung 8th District, Ma Wen-chun in Nantou 1st District, and You Hao in Nantou 2nd District.

The voting hours were from 8am to 4pm.

The first wave of recall cases in 2025, covering 24 legislators and Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an for a total of 25 cases, were all rejected on July 26. Compared to the first wave’s 7/26 voting, the number of KMT legislators facing recall on 8/23 shrank dramatically—from 24 districts down to 7. Following the massive recall wave of the first round, both blue (KMT) and green (DPP) camps opted for a “cold war” strategy, which decreased enthusiasm for this round of voting.

● Is “Restarting Nuclear Three” a Safer Option?

The Nuclear Three extension referendum stems from the shutdown of Taiwan’s “Nuclear One” and “Nuclear Two” plants in 2019 and 2023, respectively. The “Nuclear Three” plant, located in Pingtung County, began operation in 1984. Its two reactors were originally planned for a 40-year lifespan, with the No. 1 reactor’s term expiring in July 2024 and the No. 2 reactor ceasing operation on May 17 this year, at which point Taiwan officially entered a nuclear-free status.

However, the day after Nuclear Three shut down, the Legislative Yuan passed a revision to Article 6 of the “Nuclear Reactor Facilities Control Act,” adding provisions for applying for an extension of license validity after expiration, laying a legal foundation for the “restart” of nuclear power plants.

Prior to the shutdown of “Nuclear Three,” opposition camps challenged the DPP’s policy of a “nuclear-free homeland.”

In April this year, the Taiwan People’s Party caucus in the Legislative Yuan proposed a referendum to restart Nuclear Three. With the KMT-Taiwan People’s Party alliance, the proposal passed the legislature in May, setting the referendum for August 23. The referendum question reads: “Do you agree that the Third Nuclear Power Plant, with confirmation from the competent authorities that there are no safety concerns, should continue to operate?”