Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) tendered his resignation in a shock move yesterday, saying he could not fulfill Premier Wu Den-yih’s (吳敦義) request that 75 percent of the insured be exempted from a proposal to increase national health insurance premiums.

Wu rejected Yaung’s resignation late last night, however. Executive Yuan spokesman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said the premier hoped Yaung would stay in the position.