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MND embarrassed by information leak

Minister of National Defense Lee Tien-yu (李天羽) said yesterday that the military needed to review its handling of confidential papers in light of an embarrassing information leak highlighted by the press.

Lee made the remarks after the Chinese-language Apple Daily pieced together classified information from documents that had been shredded and then sold to a recycling firm.

The report said that an orderly at Chief of General Staff Hou Shou-yeh's (霍守業) office had failed to follow standard procedures for destroying shredded confidential papers.

A reporter from the daily was able to buy two bags of the shredded papers for NT$40 and decipher information about the movement of Chinese and US armed forces as well as Taiwanese military drills, the report said.

Lee said he was very angry and had demanded that the ministry look into the matter.

"This kind of thing is not supposed to happen. Hou was also very upset. He has talked to me about this in person," Lee said.

Asked to comment on the report during a visit to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus to discuss a budget matter, Lee admitted the ministry was at fault.

Lee said he had instructed all units under the ministry to conduct a thorough review of the measures for destroying papers.

He said the ministry needed to replace its dated paper shredders, which are incapable of shredding paper in a sufficiently thorough manner.

Meanwhile, the ministry said in a press release yesterday that the orderly's actions represented a dereliction of duty.

The statement came as the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister paper) reported that classified bidding documents from the ministry's armaments bureau had been leaked to contractors on at least 20 occasions, and that three mid-level officers were under investigation.

Lee did not confirm the account but promised sanctions against any proven offenders.

"We will not tolerate such behavior," he said.

KMT Legislator Shuai Hua-ming (帥化民), a retired lieutenant general, said the revelations proved that the ministry's administration was seriously flawed.

"It's ridiculous that the ministry spends large sums of money to prevent leaks and yet confidential papers are leaked from the office of the chief of the general staff in this way," People First Party Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) said.

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) said that the leaking of classified military information was a serious problem and would be investigated.

"I have not yet had a chance to learn all the details of the case. Like you, I found out about it from the newspapers. But I assure you that I take it seriously and those responsible will be punished when our investigation is completed," Chang said.

The issue was raised on the legislative floor by KMT Legislator Lee Ching-hua (李慶華).

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