Information leaked on Taiwan’s defense department heads, general officers, and intelligence officers

On October 21, reports surfaced from Taiwanese media regarding a significant breach at the island’s defense department. During a procedure for personnel asset declarations, sensitive information concerning high-ranking officials, including all officers above the rank of colonel, as well as department head Gu Li-Xiong, was inadvertently leaked. This incident has left online users in Taiwan stunned, with many expressing disbelief at the situation.

According to sources familiar with the matter, last week, the defense department’s political affairs office sent an internal list of personnel required to declare their assets, along with their personal data, via email to both the declarants and the various military branches. This included detailed information about all officers, with data on everyone from colonels to the department’s top officials, essentially releasing confidential information to the public.

Further insights reveal that the defense department’s Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) personnel’s identities are classified at the highest levels, employing codenames for both internal and external communications. However, the leaked list disclosed the real names of all personnel required to submit asset declarations, effectively compromising the identities of these highly confidential intelligence operatives.

In response, the defense department acknowledged a lapse in their operational procedures. They confirmed that the leaked list contained information such as “service agency, title, name, and declaration year,” but clarified that it did not include specific personal financial data, such as bank account details, real estate assets, or investments. They stated that measures had been implemented to manage the situation through official document systems.

Reactions across social media have been rapid and intense, with many users commenting on the incident, calling it “ridiculous” and criticizing the government for both financial mismanagement and security lapses. One user lamented, “This is just too absurd,” while others highlighted the broader implications of the government’s mismanagement, saying, “These past few years under the DPP have seen economic and energy crises, along with provocations against mainland China, culminating in this major blunder.”