Chou Yung-hui (周永暉), director-general of the Tourism Bureau, has been demoted amid a controversy involving a high-ranking bureau official, whose misconduct led to one of his colleagues becoming infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.

Chou will now serve as a counselor at the Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC), MOTC Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told reporters Sunday.

The controversy involves a high-ranking official at the Tourism Bureau, who asked a staffer working at a Taoyuan International Airport visitor information center to meet and accompany his son, who was returning from the Philippines, while the son was waiting to be picked up by the official, according to the bureau.

The official, who is under investigation for abuse of his position and violating other bureau rules, has been issued a major demerit and demoted, according to the Tourism Bureau.

Lin told reporters on Sunday that Chou asked for necessary punitive action to be taken after the controversy came to light.

As the Tourism Bureau has failed to properly supervise its staff, Chou was transferred to another position, Lin said.

Chang Shi-chung (張錫聰), a deputy director-general at the Tourism Bureau, will now serve as acting director-general.