Taiwan charges four in espionage crackdown over leaked military secrets to China

TAIPEI: Prosecutors say what began behind closed doors has now spilt into public view.

Four people were formally charged yesterday with violating the National Security Act and the Anti-Corruption Act, accused of passing sensitive state secrets — including details of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s 2023 overseas trip — to China. Authorities say the case exposes how personal connections and quiet exchanges can evolve into serious national security breaches.

At the centre of the case is Lu Chi-hsien, a former diabolo trainer with no official government role, alongside three retired military officers: Ko Tsang-hao, Chen Min-chi and Lin Chu-han. Prosecutors are seeking heavy prison terms, ranging from four to 15 years, reflecting what they describe as a deliberate and coordinated effort to leak classified information.

According to investigators, Lu allegedly relied on his ties to the retired officers to access sensitive Air Force documents. These included internal materials on psychological training at the Songshan Air Base, as well as confidential reports outlining how the military assesses risks and prepares for crises. Prosecutors say such documents are never meant to leave secure channels.

The case becomes even more personal in its details. Lu is accused of directing Ko to discreetly photograph a list of airports that Tsai was scheduled to use during her South and Central America tour — information prosecutors say was then passed on to contacts in China.

Lu now faces a possible 15-year prison sentence as the alleged mastermind. Lin could receive eight years, Chen seven, and Ko four. All four men were already found guilty in July of forming what prosecutors described as an underground spy network for China — a ruling that now looms heavily over the new charges.

The Taiwan case unfolded as South Korea reported its own sobering reminder of how sensitive information can cross borders.

A news agency reported yesterday that a retired South Korean navy commander, identified only as “A,” was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for leaking submarine blueprints to Taiwan without government approval. The court heard that in 2019, the former officer struck a deal worth about US$110 million, supplying torpedo launch tube designs originally developed by Hanwha Ocean.

Judges ruled that Taiwan did not own the intellectual property and that exporting such designs required explicit authorisation under South Korean law.

“This crime could pose a significant threat to South Korea’s security,” the court said, emphasising that strategic military technology was transferred without approval, and into a region already marked by political and military tension.

As East Asia steers a progressively flimsy security situation, law courts and public prosecutors are sending a clear message— breaking of trust at this level conveys permanent costs and expensive consequences.