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Firm indicted for exports to N Korea

The owner of a Taipei-based trade company has been indicted for exporting restricted high-tech items to North Korea and entering false information on shipping documents, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said yesterday.

The prosecutors office said in its indictment that over the past two years, Trans Merits Co (蓮笙興業), owned by Tsai Hsien-tai (蔡顯泰), delivered items to North Korea that violated the Sensitive Commodity List.

The list identifies 540 items ranging from plant seeds to military weapons. Trade companies must obtain permission from the government before exporting any of the items to North Korea or Iran.

In 2006, the firm exported three sets of water filters for electro-discharge machines to North Korea, but entered South Korea as the destination on the shipping invoices.

It also exported two shipments of second-hand computers to North Korea by air in September last year, the indictment said.

Some components of the items shipped could be used to make advanced weapons, the indictment stated.

Tsai was charged with violating the Foreign Trade Act (貿易法) and could face a prison sentence of up to two years or up to NT$300,000 in fines.

However, as Tsai cooperated with investigators and does not have a criminal record, the prosecutors have recommended a suspended sentence.
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