Personnel Promotions at Occupational Accident Reconstruction Center Criticized as Opaque; Ministry of Labor States: Process Followed Regulations

Central News Agency, Taipei, 14th — Lee Po-chang, the executive director of the Ministry of Labor's Occupational Accident Prevention and Reconstruction Center, will be leaving his post at the end of May. Media reports have criticized him for urgently promoting 13 people before his departure, with the official documents even being handled as confidential, leading to accusations of opaque 'black box' operations. The Ministry of Labor clarified today that the relevant procedures were conducted openly and transparently according to existing regulations.

Mirror Media reported today that Lee Po-chang, the outgoing executive director of the center, which was established with funding from the Ministry of Labor, urgently promoted 13 people on the 30th of last month, and that the personnel documents were handled as confidential, akin to a black box operation.

In response, the Ministry of Labor clarified today that all personnel recruitment and internal selection processes at the Reconstruction Center have always been handled in accordance with existing norms and the principle of transparency. The recent vacancies were due to replacement needs arising from an organizational adjustment on December 22, 2024. To encourage internal staff to seek promotions and boost morale, an internal selection process was adopted.

The Ministry also stated that announcements for the relevant positions were posted on the center's internal system. All qualified and interested colleagues could apply and participate in the selection process according to procedure. The entire process—from announcement, qualification review, interview and evaluation, to the final hiring—was conducted according to established procedures. The selection was based on an independent assessment by a selection committee considering professional ability, work experience, functional qualifications, and job requirements, and was not decided by the executive director or any single supervisor.

The Ministry of Labor emphasized that the entire selection process values fairness, professionalism, and consistency. All relevant meeting minutes and operational documents are fully retained as required and are available for inspection by the competent authority.

The Ministry also said that personnel cases inherently involve the protection of personal data. In accordance with relevant laws and general administrative practices, they have always been handled as confidential to protect the rights and data confidentiality of the individuals involved. This is a routine, general operational procedure, and the public should not make excessive speculations or improper connections based on it. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua) 1150514