|
Defense minister downplays spy case
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party
legislative caucus holds a press conference in Taipei yesterday, calling on the
Ministry of Defense to hold the military officers who allegedly spied for China
accountable.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
Minister of National Defense Kao
Hua-chu speaks at the legislature in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: CNA
Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu
(°ªµØ¬W) yesterday downplayed a case of three former military officers being
arrested over alleged spying for China, saying the information leaked was in
connection with the military¡¦s plan to escort fishing vessels.
Kao was speaking at a question-and-answer session at the legislature when he
fielded questions from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Pasuya Yao («À¤å´¼)
and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chan Kai-chen (¸â³Í¦Ú).
Kao said the situation did not pose a national security problem as was reported
by the Chinese-language Apple Daily on Monday.
The ministry on Monday confirmed that three retired military officers had been
arrested on suspicion of spying for China.
The report said classified information about the submarine fleet¡¦s nautical
charts and marine environment data could have been leaked to China.
The paper said the submarine fleets may have been compromised.
Kao said that the media report was ¡§incorrect.¡¨
The records China received from Chang Chih-hsin (±i¬çøÊ), the former director of
the political warfare department of the Naval Meteorological & Oceanographic
Office, and the other two suspects were about the ministry¡¦s plans to escort
fishing vessels, which ¡§were not classified as highly confidential,¡¨ Kao said,
but did not elaborate.
The incident highlighted the importance of concerted efforts to adopt
counter-intelligence measures in the military, within the government and in
society, Kao said.
| 
