Work is under way on amendments to the Act for the Establishment of the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (國家中山科學研究院設置條例) that would extend travel restrictions for military personnel to Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology employees, a source said on Tuesday.
As the institute in 2014 became a private entity, it is no longer under the direct control of the Ministry of National Defense. The transition removed all travel restrictions for the institute’s employees, who are no longer considered military personnel.
However, any employees who want to travel abroad must obtain approval from the institute.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) had previously expressed concern that the arrangement posed a potential loophole in information and national security, saying that there were 15 incidents of institute employees with access to classified information transiting through Hong Kong from May to October last year and another 10 incidents from October to February.
At a legislative question-and-answer session early last month, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said that the ministry would propose amendments to the act to close the loophole.
Under the amendments, institute employees entering or departing the nation would have to follow the same regulations as military personnel, with the authority to approve requests to travel abroad elevated from the institute to the ministry, the source said.
Institute staff with clearance to access classified information would also be prohibited from traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau for three years from the day they resign or are removed from a position that grants them the clearance, the source said.
The ministry said that it is in the process of drafting the regulations into amendments, which would grant it a legal basis for enforcement.
Talks continue on the details and method of implementation, it said.
The institute said that it would comply with the regulations.
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