Taiwan Naval Vessel COVID-19 Cluster Infection... Controversy Grows Despite President Tsai's Apology

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen issued a public apology regarding the COVID-19 cluster infection that occurred on a naval vessel.

According to local media such as Liberty Times on the 23rd, President Tsai stated at a press conference held the previous day that "As the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the issues within the Taiwanese military are my responsibility," and promised to conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish those involved in the cluster infection among the soldiers of the Dunmu Fleet.

In response to reporters' questions about whether the fleet was infected after docking somewhere other than the allied Palau while returning from a mission in Palau in the South Pacific, President Tsai said, "There were some special missions," but avoided providing specific details.

In this regard, Yen Der-pa, Taiwan's Minister of National Defense, appeared before the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee the previous day and revealed that the Dunmu Fleet conducted maritime supply route surveys and combat readiness training.

Minister Yen clarified that the fleet did not engage with any country or region other than Palau.

Meanwhile, the Dunmu Fleet departed from the Zuoying base in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on the 5th of last month and arrived in Palau on the 12th. It is understood that after completing official schedules locally, the fleet set off for home on the 15th of the same month.

However, the fleet reportedly only arrived at the Zuoying base on the 9th of this month, well past the scheduled arrival time, sparking ongoing controversy over undisclosed activities during the interim period.

Regarding this, Wang Ding-yu, a legislator from the Democratic Progressive Party, posted on his Facebook that while it took 7 days for the Dunmu Fleet to sail to Palau, the return journey took as long as 25 days, suggesting that the fleet might have been carrying out other secret missions, which further intensified the controversy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.