TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan High Court (台灣高等法院) on Thursday (Aug. 22) concluded a significant espionage case involving 10 individuals, including a lieutenant colonel from the Aviation and Special Forces Command surnamed Hsieh (謝).
The court sentenced eight of the accused to prison terms ranging from 1 year and 6 months to 13 years, while one individual was acquitted. Another man, surnamed Chen (陳), remains at large.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) emphasized its respect for the judicial decision. In response to the pervasive intelligence activities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the ministry continues to implement counterintelligence education and enhance security awareness.
Between February and July 2023, the ministry received reports about a civilian named Hsieh developing an espionage network.
Following these reports, the MND coordinated with the National Security Bureau (NSB, 國安局) and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau to conduct a counterintelligence investigation. After thorough evidence collection and damage control, the ministry reported the illegal espionage network to the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office on July 31. The MND stated that recent espionage cases were often reported by military personnel themselves.
In the future, the ministry plans to maintain strict confidentiality audits and proactively identify suspicious activities. The ministry aims to enhance its preventive and investigative capabilities through cooperative efforts within the national security team, ensuring the overall safety of the armed forces.