Supreme Court upholds High Court decision in military espionage case

Taipei, Feb. 14 (CNA) The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the decision of the Taiwan High Court to hand eight people, including several active-duty military officers, sentences ranging from 18 months to 13 years for collecting intelligence for China.

The eight people were convicted by the High Court on Aug. 22, 2024 and were among 10 individuals indicted in November 2023 by the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office on charges of spying for China.

Of the 10, junior officer Wu Chih-peng (吳志鵬) was found not guilty, while retired military officer Chen Yu-hsin (陳裕炘) remains wanted by the authorities.

The case stems from a 2022 investigation by the prosecutor's office into Chen after he was suspected of having been recruited to run espionage activities for Beijing in 2021.

Chen was found to have used money to persuade retired military officers Hsiao Hsiang-yun (蕭翔云) and Hsieh Ping-cheng (謝秉成) to help run spy rings for China. They in turn recruited active-duty junior officers Kang Yi-pin (康奕彬) and Ho Hsin-ju (何信儒) to gather military secrets.

Hsiao delivered state intel gathered by Kang and Ho to Chen and was paid NT$620,000 (US$19,400).

Hsiao also paid NT$700,000 and NT$600,000 to Kang and Ho respectively, on China's behalf.

Hsieh then recruited Hsieh Meng-shu (謝孟書), a lieutenant colonel at the Taoyuan-based Army Aviation and Special Forces Command's 601st Brigade as well as junior officers Hung Jui-yang (洪睿洋) and Lu Chun-fang (陸駿方) between December 2022 and March 2023 who all gathered military secrets for Chen.

Later, the Chinese side tried to persuade Hsieh Meng-shu to pilot a Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter to defect to China.

Additionally, Hsieh Ping-cheng also paid Hung (NT$446,000), Hsieh Meng-shu (NT$556,000 and 40,000 Thai baht) and Lu (NT$10,000).

The High Court's 2024 verdict also indicated that Hsieh Meng-shu had plans to defect to China.

Lu also followed his instructions to film a video saying he would be willing to surrender to the People's Liberation Army in the event of a war.

For their involvement, the High Court had declared that Hsiao was handed a 13-year prison sentence, Hsieh Meng-shu nine years and Hsieh Ping-cheng eight years.

In addition, Ho received seven years and four months, Kang seven years and two months, Hung seven years, Lu -- who was also dishonorably discharged during the case -- five and a half years and military sergeant Liu Li-chi (劉立齊) was handed a one and a half year sentence.

All eight individuals appealed to the Supreme Court, while the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office sought an increase in the sentences of the eight.

According to the Supreme Court, Liu was the only individual to maintain his innocence during the appeal trials while the others pleaded guilty.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court deemed all sentences from the High Court appropriate, declaring the convictions fixed with no more chances of appeals.