Army does not interfere in elections: official

The armed forces do not interfere in elections, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday, responding to an allegation that the military showed service personnel an educational video featuring Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator and Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) to help his campaign.

Taiwan People’s Party New Taipei City Councilor Chen Shih-hsuan (陳世軒) made the allegation on Monday during a political talk show, citing an aide who had “recently completed military service.”

In the video, Shen, an expert on China’s cognitive warfare and disinformation campaigns, discussed “how Douyin and TikTok affect national security,” Koo told reporters at the Legislative Yuan.

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo, left, and Army Command Headquarters Political Warfare Department head Major General Shih Shun-wen answer lawmakers’ questions at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

The video was released in April 2024, before the Taipei mayoral election campaign, and should therefore have no impact on the election, Koo said, adding that he had not heard of any plans to rebroadcast it.

The armed forces adhere to a requirement that they remain politically neutral and would never interfere in elections, Koo said.

In the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) said the educational video featuring Shen was played to service personnel at boot camp and reservist trainings since April 2024, but Shen had already become a legislator in February that year.

Army Command Headquarters Political Warfare Department head Major General Shih Shun-wen (史順文) said the video was recorded in July 2023 and the speakers for the general defense education videos were selected based on their expertise.

Koo said that the ministry invites speakers based on professional considerations.

In the second week of June, retired navy admiral and KMT Legislator Chen Yeong-kang (陳永康) was invited to record a video discussing all-out defense education, which was aired in July, the minister added.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of National Defense said that it was its “unwavering stance” not to become involved in politics or election campaign activities.

Other lawmakers and government officials have also appeared in the ministry’s educational videos to share their expertise, the statement said.

The ministry urged the public not to spread unsubstantiated information that could tarnish the military’s image.