Former commerce chief Gregory So dies at 67

Gregory So Kam-leung, who served as Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development from 2011 to 2017, passed away recently after a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of policy reforms and high-profile controversies.

Returning from Canada after the 1997 handover, So joined the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) and held roles in district councils and committees.

He entered government in 2008 as one of the first undersecretaries under expanded accountability, rising to full secretary after his boss resigned due to health issues.

During his tenure, So championed the introduction of competition law, amendments to consumer protection ordinances, and efforts to boost intellectual property trade and cross-sector collaboration.

He later expressed particular regret over the failure of copyright amendment proposals, often dubbed "Internet Article 23."

His career was also marked by scandals. Shortly after his appointment, revelations of his retained Canadian citizenship drew criticism, with So initially citing privacy before renouncing it just before taking office to preserve his local legal practice rights.

A year later, he faced backlash for using his undersecretary business card to expedite a domestic helper's visa renewal, earning the nickname "Card So" amid accusations of power abuse.

In 2011, soon after promotion, inspectors found seven unauthorized building works at his Mid-Levels flat, which he addressed by hiring experts for remediation and eventual restoration.

Two years later, his announcement rejecting a free-to-air licence for HKTV sparked outrage; his repeated calls for "gradual progress" and vague "basket of factors" explanations led to 320 layoffs and public scorn, with So choking up at a press conference and later mocked online for insincerity.

In 2014, amid uproar over mainland tourists' children urinating in public, So urged Hongkongers to embrace tolerance, only for protesters to stage a mock demonstration outside his home with fake feces dolls in satirical response.