The National Science Council (NSC,
Failing in urging Vice Chairman Steve Hsieh (
Hsieh made the request to step down on May 8, one day after Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC,
The wrangle between THSRC and NSC over the rail line's vibration problems has been highlighted since late February, when Winbond Electronics Corp (
The Winbond decision was followed by several other DRAM chipmakers pulling out of the park, including Silicon Integrated Systems Co (
The high-speed rail line, which crosses the industrial zone, is scheduled to start in 2005.
For firms locating within 200m from the railroad line, the ideal vibration level was 48dB. According to the contract THSRC signed with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications the accepted level could be as low as 68dB.
Hsieh was the second NSC leader to leave the position because of disputes over the science park.
The NSC has tried to persuade the THSRC to reduce vibration levels of the rail systems by changing details of the construction of a bridge near the park, but their arguments were not accepted. Scientists for the NSC said that this was the only efficient method to solve resonance vibration caused by the passage of the trains.
The THSRC argued that the construction would be carried out based on the contract and its insistence received strong support from the Cabinet on May 8.
To show his resolution to take the responsibility for choosing the site as a industrial park, Hsieh decided on May 8 to leave the NSC, where he had worked for 19 years.
Wei said yesterday the announcement of a candidate to occupy the vacant position left by Hsieh was uncertain.
According to the council, the candidate should be familiar with both technology policies and science-based industrial parks affairs.
The director of NSC's Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park Administration (新竹科學園區管理局), Huang Wen-hsiung (黃文雄), is reportedly being considered by the council as a possible candidate.
Huang said yesterday that he had not been approached about the position.
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