A Central News Agency (CNA) reporter today resigned after a local news site reported that Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) had organized a group to surveil Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians, and linked the reporter to the group.
CNA, Taiwan's national news agency, in a statement today said that it is processing reporter Hsieh Hsing-en's (謝幸恩) resignation and respects her decision.
"Whether Hsieh's conduct contravened work ethics or company rules will continue to be investigated and clarified by the investigation committee," CNA said.
Photo: Taipei Times file
Hsieh said in a statement that she "chose silence" and would not make any statements "regarding recent misunderstandings and accusations."
"Resignation does not represent failure or concession, but a commitment to media values," she said.
On Friday, news site Mirror Daily reported that Huang formed a surveillance group in 2022, two years after establishing the Taiwan Anti-corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association (TAWPA).
The group, which had about six members, held meetings in an office in Taipei's Daan District (大安), which Huang "often attended in person," the article said.
Hsieh — identified in the article as "a reporter surnamed S" — recruited former journalists experienced in tailing and photography for the group, Mirror Daily reported.
The group's first high-profile case took place in late 2022 and involved DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), the report said.
In 2023, the group's funding shifted from TAWPA to a company called Kai-ssu International (凱思國際), the report said, adding that there were chat records of Huang instructing a paparazzo surnamed Lin (林) to report back to him.
Four people from the group who allegedly followed DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) were employed by Kai-ssu International, including one of Huang's former aides, who handled the group's administrative tasks, Mirror Daily said.
Wang filed a complaint after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) posted photographs on Facebook and accused him of running red lights twice, the report said.
Wang later admitted to the traffic contraventions, but said that the surveillance had left him fearful, the report said
CNA on Friday said that when the Mirror Daily report first appeared, it immediately suspended Hsieh from news reporting, reassigned her to other duties and launched a special investigation into possible breaches of professional ethics.
Huang, who has led the TPP since Jan. 1, has not responded to the Mirror Daily's allegations.
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