TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — South Korean media reported Thursday (Jan. 4) that two engineers employed by a marine consultancy are under investigation for allegedly leaking submarine blueprints and technology to Taiwan’s China Ship Building Corporation (CSBC) during the development of Taiwan’s indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun.

Yonhap News reported that one of the engineers previously worked for Daewoo Shipbuilding and Engineering (DSME), which is now named Hanhwa Ocean. The two engineers are accused of leaking blueprints for the DSME1400 submarine to a company identified as SI Innotec by the Financial Times.

The DSME1400, also known as the Nagapasa-class submarine, was a submarine design of DSME commissioned in 2011 by the Indonesian Navy, with three of the submarines delivered in 2019.

A separate Korean news report mentioned that an unnamed “pro-China legislator in Taiwan” brought the leak of the classified information to light, per Nate News. On Friday (Jan. 5), former Navy lieutenant colonel and legislative candidate Kuo Hsi (郭璽) named Kuomintang Legislator Ma Wen-Chun (馬文君) as the “pro-China legislator."

Kuo and Ma made headlines in September after Taiwan unveiled its first complete indigenous submarine, with Kuo publicly accusing Ma of leaking classified material related to the submarine program to China. In early October, it was revealed that Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice is investigating the allegations leveled at Ma and the actions of other engineers and consultants involved in the affair, which may also include Kuo.



Some Taiwan media reports have suggested that Ma may face trial for leaking military secrets. During Kuo’s press conference on Friday, he revealed a signed statement by the chief executive of SI Innotec, Park Moo-sik, who is based in Taiwan.

Park, who was advised against making public statements in person by a lawyer, claimed that SI Innotec never transferred any confidential information from South Korea to Taiwan. His statement said the delivery of materials to foreign agents related to Taiwan’s indigenous submarine program, ostensibly via Ma Wen-chun, was deeply regrettable, reported UDN.

Financial Times reported that Park has already been given a US$750,000 fine by a Korean court and received a suspended prison sentence for his alleged transfer of sensitive defense technologies to CSBC, charges which are currently under appeal.



The new reports out of South Korea on the leak of the DSME1400 submarine blueprints come less than two weeks ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election, creating buzz around a scandal that had quieted down over the past two months. The South Korean government was reportedly well aware of the leaked materials as far back as 2022, with at least six arrests made in the case, per a Chosun Ilbo report made in June 2022.

The January 2024 reports do not make it clear if the two engineers mentioned are individuals who were already under investigation, or if new suspects have been identified, or if new charges have been levied by South Korean law enforcement. The Jan. 4 Yonhap report identifies the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police as the law enforcement agency pursuing an investigation into the two unnamed engineers.

The increased media attention around the case will likely have a significant impact on at least two legislative elections in Taiwan.

Kuo Hsi is running as an independent candidate for Kaohsiung’s Third District, and has accused Ma Wen-chun of illegally transferring thousands of files related to Taiwan’s submarine program to foreign agents. Meanwhile, Ma Wen-chun is hoping to retain her seat in the Legislative Yuan representing Nantou’s First District.

Campaign poster for Kuo Hsi, running to represent Kaohsiung in the Legislative Yuan.

Ma has sought to defend herself by accusing Kuo Hsi and others involved in the Hai Kun program of illegally obtaining the DSME1400 blueprints and trying to defraud the Taiwan government by attempting to pass off an unoriginal design used by Indonesia’s navy as a domestically designed submarine, reported UDN.

Presidential candidate Lai Ching-te (賴清德) of the DPP was asked on Friday about reports that a “pro-China legislator” leaked the classified submarine program information to foreign agents. Lai said that such actions from a sitting lawmaker are “shameful,” and he called on voters in Nantou to vote against Ma Wen-chun in favor of higher-quality candidates that will support the country, reported UDN.

Campaign poster for KMT's Ma Wen-chun, running to keep her seat in the Legislative Yuan representing Nantou.