TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Taipei Department of Urban Development Commissioner and Minister without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen (張景森) testified Tuesday in the Core Pacific City graft case, arguing that the city government should not reduce the approved floor space ratio (FSR) without providing a valid justification.

Prosecutors allege former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) accepted a bribe from Core Pacific Group Chair Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京) in exchange for more favorable FSR terms for the developer’s Core Pacific project. Chang, who served under former Taipei Mayor Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) administration, was called to testify on whether Sheen’s claim that the project’s 678% FSR, equivalent to 120,284.39 square meters and secured through land donations, was a permanent entitlement, per Tai Sounds.

Chang argued that the lower 392% FSR approved under former Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) was unreasonable. He said the 678% figure was the result of prior negotiations, including land donations and other concessions made by Sheen in exchange for the higher ratio.

Chang added that while the city government has the legal authority to unilaterally adjust an FSR, it must first provide justifiable reasons. If the city wishes to reduce the project’s FSR, he said, it should either have a strong rationale or apply the same reduction to surrounding buildings to ensure fairness.

Addressing allegations of profiteering, Chang said that granting a specific case a more favorable FSR could constitute profiteering, depending on whether the decision was made lawfully. He emphasized that the key issue is whether the government’s actions constituted an administrative violation or outright illegality.

Prosecutors responded briefly to Chang’s testimony, noting that the 678% FSR had already been decided by an administrative court, and that the court’s ruling should take precedence over what they described as Chang’s “personal opinion”, per UDN.

Chang described the Core Pacific development as a “sad case,” saying the developer was now facing legal challenges for attempting to restore what it had previously secured, per NOWnews. He also argued that the project’s land designation made it eligible for an FSR exceeding the 560% standard applied to commercial zones.

Ko echoed Chang’s assessment, claiming the prosecution’s arguments were based on what he called an “erroneous decision” by the Control Yuan, which alleged misconduct by the Taipei City Government for approving an FSR above the 560% standard, per ETtoday.