No data on Hsiung Feng III missile development leaked: Minister

Taipei, March 13 (CNA) Confidential data concerning applications of an air-launched variant of the Hsiung Feng III missiles was not compromised in an alleged Chinese espionage case involving a retired Air Force major, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said Thursday.

Local media reported Wednesday that retired Air Force Major and alleged Chinese spy Shih Chun-cheng (史濬程) persuaded then Air Intercept Controller Hsu Chan-cheng (許展誠) to leak secret files on the deployment of the anti-ship missiles and Air Force movements in response to Chinese incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone in exchange for payment.

According to the reports, Shih approached Shu in 2021, meaning classified files were leaked over four years until prosecutors raided Shih's residence in August 2024.

At a legislative hearing on Thursday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) and Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) asked Koo to comment on the reports.

Koo said the leaked data was "academic" in nature and was part of research conducted before the development began.

It was therefore "not combat-related," Koo said.

Cheng Yi-cheng (程一誠), deputy head of Taiwan's state-run weapons developer National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), said the time of the leak indicated that it had "no connection" with the development of the missiles, as the NCSIST is still performing various tests and has not yet determined a set of fixed parameters.