TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) on Friday (Sept. 20) emphasized that the exploding Hezbollah pagers were not made in Taiwan. Minister Kuo addressed the issue after a pager explosion in Lebanon (黎巴嫩) earlier that week resulted in multiple casualties, implicating Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo (金阿波羅).
Kuo, speaking at the Legislative Yuan (立法院), reported that Gold Apollo's beepers do not explode and that none of the 260,000 units exported in the past two years have had any incidents. He further explained that the components, low-tech ICs, and batteries used in these beepers are safe.
Citing data from the International Trade Administration (貿易署) under the MOEA, he expressed doubts that a tiny fraction of these devices could have been exported to Lebanon.
Kuo acknowledged the feeling that Taiwan was unfairly implicated. He stated that the MOEA will do its utmost to help the manufacturer fully disclose its past practices and assist the prosecutor in the investigation. As the investigation continues, Kuo reassured that the MOEA will fully support the manufacturers to ensure transparency and assist the judicial inquiry.