A Taiwanese army major (retired) has been given a 12-year jail sentence by a court after he was found guilty of selling state secrets to China. Major Lee Hai-peng, along with his sons, former Captain Lee Yu-sheng and former Sergeant Lee Yu-ching has been found guilty. The sons face conspiracy charges.
Lee Yu-sheng was handed two-years and one month jail sentence while Lee Yu-ching was given 10-year and six-month sentence.
Meanwhile, former Air Force Major Lee Wen-sheng was sentenced to 15 years in prison for assisting enemy spies.
Although the sentences can be appealed, the latest sentencing has given harsher punishment to the guilty than the sentencing carried out last year.
The Taiwan High Court found Major Lee Hai-peng on three counts under Classified National Security Information Protection Act, including for transmitting classified national security information to China.
Media reports say that Major Lee Hai-peng facilitated meetings between Chinese and Taiwanese officials. Major Lee is now in his 70s. He began facilitating meetings after he retired in 1990. He was later recruited by China for gathering information.
In 2008, Major Lee recruited Lee Wen-sheng, an Air Force officer for the espionage. He was tasked with collecting classified and confidential information. Major Lee reportedly told Lee Wen-sheng that they were collecting intelligence for China and that there will be monetary compensation.
