The TSU denied allegations yesterday that it had leaked classified military information which resulted in a US decision to suspend sharing of real-time satellite intelligence with the military.
"The allegations are totally unfounded," TSU legislative whip Lin Jhih-long (
A group of KMT legislators alleged earlier in the day that Vice Minister of Defense Kang Ning-hsiang (
"Kang's briefing was reported by local news media the following day, prompting the United States to discontinue offering real-time satellite military intelligence to Taiwan," KMT legislative whip Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) said.
Lee accused TSU lawmakers of having leaked the information to the media.
"The move has had a serious adverse impact on our intelligence operations and national security," he claimed. He urged the government to investigate the case.
Other KMT legislators at the news conference, including Kwan Yuk-noan (關沃暖) and Liao Wan-ju (廖婉汝), said that TSU lawmakers were to blame for leaking the important military information to the media.
However, the TSU legislative caucus denied the allegations, stressing that Kang didn't talk about "real-time satellite images" in his Sept. 20 briefing.
"Kang only said that some information was provided by the United States," TSU whip Lo said.
Meanwhile, a local newspaper report said the military has built a ground station in Linko to receive real-time satellite images.
The ground station will become operational in the near future, the paper said, adding that the construction project will greatly facilitate the military's acquisition of intelligence about China's military deployment and other activities.
At present, the paper said, the military has to rely on National Central University's Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research to receive images from Israel's EROS-A1 satellite.
Quoting unidentified sources, the paper said the military has invested more than NT$140 million (US$4 million) for the construction of the ground station.
The paper said access to real-time satellite images has helped upgrade the military's capabilities to monitor and analyze China's military activities. It said the military had discovered a large number of artillery impressions in a mock airport in Gansu Province, which was a replica of Chingchuankang air base.
"This indicates that Chinese air force pilots have been training in attacks on Taiwan targets, " a military officer was quoted as saying.
Military experts can now judge the types of weapons and the assault tactics adopted by Chinese pilots from those satellite images, the paper said.
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