Golden Horse winner Ko Chun-hsiung dies at 70

SINGAPORE - Taiwanese actor Ko Chun-hsiung has died, aged 70, in a Taipei hospital.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that the two-times Golden Horse winner passed away on early Monday morning (Dec 7) after losing his fight with lung cancer.

According to Apple Daily, Mr Ko underwent chemotherapy in May and last appeared in public in October at a film event wearing a facial mask and sounding frail.

Mr Ko's 52-year film career saw him star in more than 200 films. Lianhe Wanbao also noted that the actor had served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

He is survived by his second wife, Jenny Tsai, their two children, and two daughters from his first marriage with Taiwanese beauty and screen star Chang Mei-yao.

Mr Ko had and Ms Chang had divorced after a 35-years marriage.

Ms Chang, who passed away from heart and lung failure in 2012 at 71 years old, had told her daughters to conceal her death for 11 days.

When Mr Ko found out about his ex-wife's passing, he told reporters that Chang "did no wrong in this marriage, I was in the wrong".

debwong@sph.com.sg