Hualien School Lunch Bribery Scandal Escalates: Deputy Magistrate and Acting Secretary-General Summoned

The Hualien District Prosecutors Office is investigating a bribery scandal involving the Hualien County Government's school lunch bidding process. The case involves complex government-business relationships, with suspected involvement of high-ranking county officials. Deputy Magistrate Yen Hsin-chang and Acting Secretary-General Jao Chung were taken to the investigation station for questioning on June 11.

According to prosecutors, investigators, and the Agency Against Corruption, the Education Department handled a NT$270 million school lunch tender in 2023. Initially, seven companies bid, but the tender was canceled and re-opened after one company failed to meet qualifications. The re-bidding process allegedly removed a required five-year track record clause, allowing previously unqualified companies to bid.

On May 13, prosecutors conducted the first wave of searches, detaining six individuals including a former section chief of the county education department, Kuomintang councilor Wu Tung-sheng, and two company representatives surnamed Jhuo and Liao. They were released on bail ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$300,000.

Due to the complex government-business relationships and suspected high-level involvement, prosecutors expanded the investigation upward. On the morning of June 11, they went to the Hualien County Government to bring in Yen and Jao for questioning.

Sources indicate Yen was brought in as a criminal suspect, while Jao appeared as a witness.

The Hualien County Government stated it would not comment on what it called "unverified reports from specific media outlets with no sources." The government emphasized that ongoing investigations are legally confidential and that it is actively cooperating with the judicial investigation.