TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) addressed allegations involving retired military personnel accused of espionage on Wednesday (Jan. 8), stating that no active-duty personnel are implicated. Still, he condemned retired officers who allegedly accepted Chinese funding to form an "armed sniper squad."
Koo, who attended the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee (外交及國防委員會) at the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) earlier that day, reiterated the importance of loyalty to the nation even after retirement and noted that the case remains under investigation, declining further comment.
Koo's response came after a Mirror Media's (鏡周刊) report claimed that former officer and Rehabilitation Alliance (復康聯盟黨) Chairman Chu Hung-yi (屈宏義) has been receiving funding from China to recruit military personnel and form a squad. Prosecutors charged Chu and six others under the "National Security Act" (國安法) last year.
In response to Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung's (林佳龍) remarks in a Japanese media interview about Taiwan's defense budget, Koo also emphasized strategic planning based on operational needs. Lin noted that Taiwan's defense spending now surpasses 2.5% of GDP, exceeding that of Japan and many NATO members. Koo assured that Taiwan will continue to communicate with major allies, including the U.S., and affirmed President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) commitment to stable growth in defense budgeting.