Espionage suspect questioned, homes searched
Central News Agency
2014-02-10 07:55 PM
Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) Prosecutors and investigators Monday searched the Taipei home of a former reporter who allegedly collected intelligence for Beijing, along with a Taichung home belonging to her parents.
The former reporter, identified only by her surname Kuo to protect her identity, is accused of attempting to "buy intelligence" from a division chief at the Investigation Bureau under Taiwan's Ministry of Justice in 2007 on behalf of China.
According to the prosecutors and investigators handling the case, Kuo attempted to purchase intelligence for a "bountiful reward," but she was turned down on the spot when she tried to solicit the information from the division chief. Prosecutors called the case a rare instance of a female operative spying for China, but noted that "fortunately, the woman surnamed Kuo did not get away with it."
Earlier in the day, Kuo was listed as a suspect for allegedly collaborating with a China-based Taiwanese businessman surnamed Chou to try to acquire data from and information on political organizations in Taiwan from an Investigation Bureau official.
Chou, who is now in Taiwan, was questioned as a witness in the case, according to the prosecutors. Kuo, 41, worked at several local media outlets, including at the Central News Agency (CNA) from 2004 to 2011. If convicted on charges of espionage, she could face a sentence of up to five years and a fine of NT$10 million (US$330,000).
The investigation is ongoing with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. CNA released a brief statement Monday acknowledging that Kuo is a former employee and stressing that her personal conduct and remarks outside of her work duties have absolutely no connection to the news organization. CNA said it respects legal authorities' handling of the case.
(By Liu Shih-yi and Elizabeth Hsu)
