Police officer suspended from duty for leaking secrets

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) A police officer detained for allegedly leaking secrets about President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) itinerary while he was seconded to the National Security Bureau (NSB) has been suspended from the Sixth Special Police Corps, the corps said Thursday.

Police and prosecutors found following an investigation that the police officer surnamed Tsao (曹) was suspected of leaking undisclosed information related to Lai to his friends during his stint at the NSB which began in May.

Tsao was discharged from the NSB and returned to the Sixth Special Police Corps on Dec. 8.

A request by prosecutors to detain him and hold him incommunicado for allegedly leaking secrets and violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act was approved by a court on Dec. 9 due to a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, the police corps said in a statement.

The police corps said that Tsao was being suspended from duty in accordance with the Police Personnel Management Act.

The police corps added it would continue cooperating with the NSB special service center and prosecutors in the investigation.

Commenting on the matter, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said the Presidential Office respects judicial procedures and that relevant government units will fully cooperate with all investigations.