A father and son from Taiwan, both surnamed Huang, have been sentenced to eight years in prison for their involvement in an espionage ring that compromised sensitive military information, local media reported on Friday. The Taiwanese Supreme Court upheld their sentences on August 29, rejecting their final appeals. The court also ordered a retrial for their co-conspirators, according to Taiwan News.
The Huangs became entangled in a Chinese intelligence operation after meeting Chinese officials during a business trip to Xiamen in 2015. Upon returning to Taiwan, they recruited two military officers—Yeh, from an air defense unit, and Su, from a missile unit—into their espionage network. These officers were coerced into pledging their loyalty to China, leading to significant breaches of Taiwan’s military secrets.
The Huangs’ spy ring successfully obtained eight classified documents related to Taiwan’s Han Kuang exercises, the island’s key annual military drills designed to simulate responses to a potential Chinese invasion. These documents, detailing Taiwan’s defense capabilities and strategies, were either physically transported to China or sent via encrypted messaging apps.
For their treachery, the Huangs received NT $1.71 million (approximately USD 53,600) from their Chinese handlers, while Yeh and Su were paid NT $210,000 and NT $100,000, respectively. The case underscores how national security can be compromised for relatively modest sums of money.
The espionage operation came to light as part of Taiwan’s broader efforts to combat Chinese intelligence activities. In April, the Tainan branch of the Taiwan High Court convicted the Huangs of violating multiple laws, including the National Security Act and the Classified National Security Information Protection Act. The court also ordered the confiscation of their illicit gains.
While the Supreme Court upheld the Huangs’ sentences, it overturned the verdicts for Yeh and Su, citing the need for further examination of evidence. The Taiwan High Court has been instructed to conduct a new trial for the two officers, highlighting the complexities involved in prosecuting espionage cases.
Taiwan’s government remains vigilant against such threats, given the critical importance of military intelligence in safeguarding the island’s security. The Han Kuang exercises are particularly vital to Taiwan’s defense strategy, making the leak of related information especially damaging.
