Security bureau likely to undergo top-level reshuffle

The National Security Bureau is expected to see a significant personnel reshuffle in the next month, with its top two leaders seen as likely to step down together or separately, according to defense sources.

The bureau's director-general, Ting Yu-chou (丁渝洲), has expressed to the government leadership his wish to leave his post by Feb. 1 as the two-year term of office for major military leaders is nearing expiration.

Meanwhile, military police chief Lieutenant General Yang Yu-tsun (楊雨村) is making a play to replace the controversial Han Kun as the highest of the three deputy directors of the security bureau.

Ting's resignation is intended to coincide with the recent announcement of a list of major military leaders whose two-year terms have been approved by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for extension by one year.

The list includes Chief of the General Staff General Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明), army chief General Chen Cheng-hsiang (陳鎮湘), navy chief Admiral Li Chieh (李傑), and Armed Forces Reserve Command chief General Chin En-ching (金恩慶).

According to government regulations, the security bureau's directorship does not have any specific tenure since it is a position specially assigned by the president.

This is not the first time that Ting has sought to resign.

Recent incidents have shed an unfavorable light on the security bureau.

The incidents involve the suspected "defection" to China by the bureau's former personnel department chief Major General Pan Hsi-hsiang (潘希賢), and the alleged embezzlement of hundreds of millions in public funds by the bureau's chief treasurer Colonel Liu Kuan-chun (劉冠軍).

Pan is believed by the security bureau to still be in China. The whereabouts of Liu, however, have remained a mystery since he fled the country last autumn.

The two scandals marked a low-point for the security bureau, causing the public to question the effectiveness of the agency.

After Liu fled the country, the security bureau's chief, Ting, tendered his resignation to President Chen who refused to accept it.

Ting is now hoping that the fact that there are more candidates available to take his place will weigh favorably with his wish to leave the bureau.

Sources close to Ting told the Taipei Times that Ting favors Armed Forces Reserve Command chief Chin En-ching to be his successor and has received the backing of Chief of the General Staff General Tang for the idea.

But now that Chin's term is to be extended by one year, it is unlikely that Chin will replace Ting by Feb. 1 as initially planned.

Under these conditions, there are several alternative candidates.

They include Military Intelligence Bureau director Hsu Chu-sheng (徐筑生) and Combined Services deputy Wang Yi-tien (王詣典).