The military is considering using polygraph tests in security clearance reviews if the person’s status is still in doubt after an examination, written explanation and interview, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
The ministry proposed the amendment to the Operational Regulations for Verification and Use of Armed Forces Personnel Data (國軍人事資料查核運用作業規定) given the rise in espionage cases involving retired and active-duty military personnel.
A new article would be added to require newly appointed defense security affairs personnel to be vetted, particularly regarding their nationalities and criminal records.
Photo: AP
Military officers handling confidential information would be asked to fill out a special verification checklist and participate in an in-person interview.
The checklist contains 32 items in six major categories, including the legal basis for data disclosure, Military Security Division Director Chien Ying-hung (簡熒宏) told a news conference.
“If there are still questions regarding an officer’s qualifications after we review the checklist, we would ask them to turn in a written report and conduct an in-person interview. However, if they are still perceived as not giving truthful answers, further assessments would be conducted using lie detectors,” Chien said.
The devices to be used would be the same as those used by the National Security Bureau, the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, he added.
Those who refuse to take a lie detector test would not be able to complete the security investigation and would not be qualified to handle confidential information, the amendment says.
Another new article would stipulate that personnel who are to be assigned to “secret” or “confidential” posts must undergo verification 30 days before transfer, while those slated for “top secret” or “absolute secret” posts must go through a security check 60 days in advance.
If the investigation determines that a person is not subject to any restriction criteria, their clearance remains valid for three years. However, if it finds they do — or if the they refuse to complete a special verification check — they would not be eligible for declassification and may not access state secrets, military secrets or national defense secrets. They would also be prohibited from assuming sensitive positions.
A person under investigation must provide the following: household registration for the past three months, a personal credit report and their most recent individual tax return. They must also agree to in-person interviews, inquiries of their relatives and friends, and character verification, including assessing the applicant’s personality, honesty, reliability, trustworthiness and loyalty to the state.
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