Lin Rong-san (Chinese: 林榮三; 27 May 1939 – 28 November 2015) was a Taiwanese politician, publisher, real estate developer and businessman. He was the founder of Union Bank of Taiwan, and the publisher of Liberty Times group that also includes its English-language version Taipei Times.[1]

Lin Rong-san
Born(1939-05-27)27 May 1939
Died28 November 2015(2015-11-28) (aged 76)
Taipei, Taiwan
NationalityTaiwanese
Occupation(s)Founder, Union Bank of Taiwan; publisher of Liberty Times (and its English counterpart)
Children4

Career

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He was a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party from 1977 to 2015. He won a controversial election against Tangwai candidate Kuo Yu-hsin [zh] to the Legislative Yuan in 1975. He was later accused of involving electoral fraud, which was published in "The Tiger Falls in Pingyang: The Election! Lawsuit! Kuo Yu-hsin (虎落平陽-選戰!官司!郭雨新)". He was named Vice President of the Control Yuan in 1992, but stepped down to focus on the Liberty Times.[2]

In June 2008, Forbes magazine ranked him as the seventh richest of Taiwan, with a net worth of US$2.7 billion.[3] Lin fell to eighth on the same list in 2010,[4] then slid to tenth in 2011.[5] In November 2015, his fortune was valued at US$3.9 billion.[6] Lin was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon by Lee Teng-hui in 2000, followed by the Order of Propitious Clouds with Grand Cordon from Chen Shui-bian in 2008.[7]

His older brother is the billionaire real estate developer Lin Yu-lin.

Personal life

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Lin died at home in Taipei on 28 November 2015, from cardiopulmonary failure caused by a tumor.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "《自由時報》創辦人林榮三病逝 享壽77歲、身價逾千億". storm.mg.
  2. ^ "Politicians remember former Liberty Times publisher". China Post. 24 January 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2017. Alt URL
  3. ^ "#7 Lin Rong San". Forbes. June 4, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  4. ^ "#8 Lin Rong San". Forbes. March 31, 2010. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  5. ^ "#10 Lin Rong San". Forbes. 2011.
  6. ^ "#9 Lin Rong San". Forbes. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "OBITUARY: Taipei Times founder Lin Rung San passes away at home aged 76". Taipei Times. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  8. ^ Tzou, Jiing-wen (November 29, 2015). "Remembering a 'man of unbending character'". Taipei Times. Retrieved November 29, 2015.