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Diplomat's Death Exposes DPP's Shady Internet Army |
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Yang Hui-ju, who once served as Frank Hsieh's Internet chief, is a representative figure behind the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) cyber-manipulation.
(Photo from: United Daily News) |
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Internet Figure Charged with Hiring Internet Army and Contributing to Diplomat’s Death
United Daily News, December 3, 2019
Last year, the Kansai International Airport in Japan was closed due to inclement weather brought on by Typhoon Jebi. Following this event, Su Chi-cheng, who served as the director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Osaka, committed suicide due to pressures from public opinion. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office later found after investigation that Yang Hui-ju , commonly known as the “Goddess of Credit Cards,” paid Tsai Fu-ming NT$10,000 (about US$328) to refute Frank Hsieh, Taiwan’s representative to Japan, fabricating fake news that Taiwanese foreign service officers were incompetent. Both Yang and Tsai were indicted for slandering government offices and public servants.
Tsai admitted during the investigation that he accepted NT$10,000 (about US$328) from Yang as a “bonus”. Yang argued that the money had nothing to do with “promoting the article” but simply a payment made for dining out. However, the public prosecutor found from recorded communications that Yang instructed her friends in a group chat to share the article within a minute of the article’s publishing—the prosecutor found both Yang and Tsai to be co-offenders.
Frank Hsieh formerly served as the DPP’s presidential nominee in 2008 and premier from 2005 to 2006 under President Chen Shui-bian. During Hsieh’s 2008 presidential campaign, Yang was his Internet chief, and the two enjoyed a close relationship. She also served as a key figure for internet operations for the green camp.
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu put out a critical statement, that the “Tsai administration indulged the cyber warriors to kill a diplomat.” He hoped that the prosecution of fake news internet media would not only represent the right thing to do, but also signal the start of a broader against internet bullying and the manipulation of public opinion. We all demand the country to give justice to the family of Su Chi-cheng.
The prosecutor pointed out that after the closure of the airport in Kansai last September, Yang and Tsai agreed that with NT$10,000 (about US$328), Tsai would spread news on the internet and mislead the direction of public opinion. Using the account “idcc” on PTT, a popular Internet bulletin board system (BBS) in Taiwan, Tsai posted an article titled “Information on Evacuation from Osaka Airport.” The article claimed that Hsieh had no control over the Osaka office. It harshly asserted that “the attitude of TECO in Osaka was so bad, so bad that they should die.” “They are the evil remnants of the KMT forces. You are welcome to share the above information.”
Subsequently Yang instructed the members of the Kaohsiung Division that the members of her group chat was to promote the article to broadly and increase its visibility. It caused the public opinion to fester and the subsequent suicide of Su.
The Criminal Bureau of the Taipei City Police Department investigated and found that the account “Slow” belonged to Yang and had the same IP as “idcc,” suggesting that both Yang and Tsai were involved — their mobile phones have been confiscated for further forensic tests.
Yang denied that she was “idcc” and argued that when the PTT article was posted, she was with a large group of people and that she shared her mobile phone hot spot with Tsai as he didn’t have internet access. She didn’t know that Tsai wrote the article but thought that it was well written and worth promoting, which is why she asked the like-minded friends in her network to share it. The prosecutor did not accept her argument.
From: https://udn.com/news/story/11311/4201436
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The Kuomintang (KMT) caucus of the Legislative Yuan demanded that President Tsai Ing-wen apologize and Frank Hsieh, Taiwan representative to Japan, step down.
(Photo from: United Daily News) |
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DPP Creates Fake News While Pledging to Combat It
United Daily News Editorial, December 6, 2019
Yang Hui-ju, a controversial Internet expert, has been sued for leading a group of cyber-warriors. On top of bringing to light the ugly truths of cyber-warriors’ misdeeds, this incident also leads to the unveiling of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) tricks in using cyber-warriors to spread fake news, manipulate perceptions, and even cause the death of a senior government official.
The irony lies in the fact that the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen has been constantly using public power as a “fighting fake news” mechanism while blaming last year’s election defeat to the prevalence of fake news. In reality, the pan-Green cyber-warriors have been spreading fake news a lot more than common people, with vile tactics. The difference is that the DPP can use public power to “fight anything fake” using the “Social Order Maintenance Act”. Anything that is considered “private offence”, such as insults or injuring one’s reputation, is now all categorized as crime of circulating rumors, taken care of by public power. For instance, recently those who are skeptical about President Tsai’s doctoral dissertation have been charged with violating the “Social Order Maintenance Act” and the “Election and Recall Act” by the public power. These legal actions misusing public power have been abused by President Tsai, as well as by Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Chen Chu, Premier Su Tseng-chang and the Ministry of National Defense. Even public units including police departments and the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau have been complying with the government in proactive investigations and charges.
Former DPP member You Ying-lung testified that his former classmate was subpoenaed by the police simply because he openly shared a picture. It was a picture that ambiguously showed a DPP member meeting someone who may or may not be Wang Liqiang, a Chinese defector and self-proclaimed former spy. Not only was all content in the classmate’s phone forced to be deleted, he was also charged with violating the “Election and Recall Act”. Yu suspects that the government is controlling the freedom of speech on the Internet. On another note, Secretary-General Chen has also been proactively casting “a huge net of prosecution”, suing more than ten people.
Upon observing court decisions on cases of fake news, many cases have been deemed not guilty, violating the DPP’s wishes. Despite all this, the Tsai administration remains persistent. Lately, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has been frequently targeting fans of Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu. The CEC’s intention is not in clarifying news, but bringing into trial those, in their own definitions, violators of the “Election and Recall Act”.
The Tsai administration may appear determined to combat fake news, but, in reality, its actions are only to protect the DPP’s regime and attack other political parties. The DPP has only been condemning “fake news” that are harmful to its members while no actions are taken towards destructive fake news regarding others. There are especially two very iconic fake news cases lately that have even bigger impact and involvement, but since it doesn’t affect the Tsai administration, there aren’t proactive investigations. One of these cases is about the previously mentioned Chinese defector and self-proclaimed spy, Wang Liqiang. the Tsai administration used Wang’s case as proof of China’s infiltration to attack opponents and also an excuse to second read the “anti-infiltration bill”. However, when Wang’s previous convictions were uncovered and his statements regarding “donation to presidential candidate Han” were proven to be lies, the Tsai administration chose to remain obscure instead of clarifying the outcome of the investigation.
The other case that hasn’t been elucidated is the spread of fake news by Yang’s cyber-warriors which led to Su Chi-Cheng, the former director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Osaka, committing suicide. The investigation was dragged to 400 days before the truth was revealed. During the long period of waiting, neither the Tsai administration nor the Foreign Ministry have shed light or conducted investigations on the cyber-warriors’ defamation regarding Ambassador Su or the Osaka office.
The reality is, the DPP administration is the biggest producer of fake news and commander of its spread through the Internet. On one hand, the DPP continues to take control of speech rights. And on the other hand, the DPP ceaselessly creates fake news that falsely charge its opponents. Does the DPP still cherish human rights as the foundation of our country?
From: https://udn.com/news/plus/10327/4211063
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Democracy Reduced to a Digital Hoax
By Chen Chao-ping
China Times, December 5, 2019
Prosecutorial investigation revealed that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Yang Hui-ju, who paid for cyber-warriors aimed at media framing and caused the death of Su Chi-cheng, diplomat who served as director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Osaka.
Yang Hui-ju's former comrades-in-arms and employers all washed their hands. Frank Hsieh, Taiwan’s representative to Japan, who had a close relationship with Yang, was put on the spot. Hsieh argued that after Yang left his foundation, the two were only friends and had no money exchanges. DPP vice presidential candidate Willian Lai, who was bullied by cyber-warriors during the party’s presidential primary, embarrassed and uttered understated: whether Yang was the cyber-warrior who attacked him in the primary remains to be verified. President Tsai Ing-wen, who photographed with Yang years back, remained aloof and admonished that the case has entered the judicial investigation and should no longer be commented on.
This case involved the death of a distinguished diplomat and would have an impact on Taiwan’s democratic development and sovereignty. After Su committed suicide, the DPP accused the Chinese cyber-warriors of creating fake news to penetrate Taiwan. Now, the investigation has found that Yang, Hsieh’s close associate, may be related to Su 's death.
As president, even if she cannot comment on a specific case, Tsai can at least do the following: First, remind the prosecutors to trace the source of the cash flow of Yang’s cyber-warriors, while observing the principle of “do not do wrong to the good people, neither be lenient to bad people.” Second, before the exoneration of the case, Hsieh should be recalled home awaiting for investigation. Third, censure fake news and require all government agencies to stop the release of fake news. And finally, ask the judicial authorities to study if cyber fake news bullying people and resulting in death, can be charged with computer crimes under criminal law.
Five Taipei city councilors produced many documentary evidence to reveal the source of cash flow of Yang’s cyber-warriors was actually subsidies from the central and the Taipei city government tenders. In the past two years, nearly NT $ 100 million has been pocketed. What is even more suspicious is that the correspondence between Yang's company and the Taipei City Government would have copies sent to five city councilors who are considered Hsieh’s faction. Among them, Ruan Chao-Hsiung is also the spokesperson of the Reelection Tsai Ing-wen office. All of these almost confirm the special comradery between Hsieh and Yang and leave us space to imagine the role of President Tsai in supporting the cyber-warriors. The exposure of the scandal by the city councilors confirmed that the financier of the cyber-warriors no other than the DPP and the government. If Su were not killed by Yang directly, he was indirectly hounded to death by the DPP administration and Yang.
In fact, Su Chi-cheng is not the only one hounded to death by cyber-warriors. After the amateur politician Ko Wen-je, now Taipei Mayor, emerged in 2014 with the help of cyber-warriors, a “dark industry chain” was gradually formed by cyber-warriors, Internet celebrities, fake news, and fake polls. After the 2018 local elections, this dark industry chain has been aggravated. The advanced process is roughly as follows: the cyber-warrior releases fake news to influence public opinion, the Internet celebrity spreads and plays up, and then the fake polls based on the rendered fake news. Splash dirty water, launch red herring, bully and smear competitors. Yang's case confirmed that this dark industry chain has been co-opted and employed by the ruling authorities. The government is the biggest “black hand” behind this dark industry chain.
The government-supported cyber-warriors have pushed Taiwan's democracy into an impasse. When the state machine and the dark industry chain work in unison, the Tsai government talked constantly about the penetration of foreign forces, the Chinese cyber-warriors, communist spies, and the need to protect sovereignty. How much of this is true? How much information was fabricated by the government to attack opponents and wangle votes?
The cyber-warriors, Internet celebrities, fake news, and fake polls have become the four evils of Taiwan democracy. Fail to get rid of the four evils, democracy is nothing but a digital hoax.
From: https://www.chinatimes.com/opinion/20191205004326-262105?chdtv
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December 2: After taking office as mayor of Kaohsiung, Han Kuo-yu visited the Hong Kong Liaison Office and met the director of the Taiwan Affairs Office. For this reason, Kaohsiung City Councilor Chen Chih-chung (son of former President Chen Shui-bian) and others accused Han of accepting unification under “One Country, Two Systems” and committing treason under the Criminal Code. The Kaohsiung branch office of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office found that acknowledging the 1992 Consensus does not mean supporting “One Country, Two Systems.” The Han presidential campaign responded that the judiciary has not only acquitted Han of treason but also certified that the deliberate manufacture of “dried mango” (pun for “national doom”) is fake.
December 3: Seven KMT-affiliated mayors and magistrates in central Taiwan held an emergency conference in Taichung. They asserted that the use of coal by the Taichung Power Plant had exceed the limit, and a penalty of NT$3 million (about US$98,000) would be imposed. Further penalties will be imposed if the situation is not improved within 10 days. The seven counties and cities also signed a joint declaration asking for the central government to face the air pollution caused by coal-powered electricity and join the international Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA).
December 5: Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu, who is trailing in presidential polls, criticized opinion polls as fraudulent and called upon his supporters to respond President Tsai Ing-wen when interviewed so that poll organizations cannot determine the true results. Han campaign spokesman Yeh Yuan-chih commented that Tsai’s poll figures may rise as high as 60 or 70 percent as Han supporters respond Tsai in the polls.
December 6: Internet celebrity Yang hui-ju was prosecuted for cyber-manipulation, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been anxious to distance itself from Yang. KMT legislators and councilors, in order to seek justice for the late diplomat Su Chi-cheng who committed suicide, went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to demand an explanation from Minister Joseph Wu but were blocked by some 500 police officers. In the process, two female KMT legislators were injured. Additionally, KMT Legislator Chen Yi-ming was charged by the police for obstructing official duties when Chen beat on the cap of a female officer at the scene.
December 6: The office of KMT presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu revealed that Radio Taiwan International (RTI), which is subsidized by the government, used public funds to advertise on Facebook negative news about Han. The Han campaign also traced a “Kaohsiung team” in RTI’s personnel and asked the Legislative Yuan to further investigate RTI’s expenditures and cash flow to shed more light on the scandal.
December 7: The police uncovered the largest case of counterfeit U.S. hundred-dollar bills in Taiwan’s history. Liao hsue-kuen, a 64-year-old former owner of a print shop, is suspected of forming an unlawful group and using his professional expertise to print hundred-dollar denominations of counterfeit American currency. The police recently arrested and detained five suspects, including Liao, and seized nearly NT$11 million (about US$361,000) in counterfeit cash. At least millions (in New Taiwan dollars) have already been charged, according to current estimates.
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Taiwan Weekly is a newsletter released every week by Fair Winds Foundation, Taipei Forum, and Association of Foreign Relations that provides coverage and perspectives into the latest developments in Taiwan.
The conclusions and recommendations of any Taiwan Weekly article are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the institutions that publish the newsletter.
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