Taiwan's defence minister has resigned, the government said today, following public outrage over the death of a young conscript who was allegedly abused by his officers.
Corporal Hung Chung-chiu died of heatstroke on July 4, just three days before the end of his compulsory year-long military service. His family said he was forced to do excessive exercise as punishment for taking a smartphone onto his army base.
Defence Minister Kao Hua-chu stepped down after the case triggered demonstrations outside the defence ministry this month, as well as growing allegations of abuse and misconduct in the military.
Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah announced the resignation today as part of a cabinet reshuffle he said was "aimed at responding to the general public's expectations". He did not elaborate on the reasons for Kao's departure.
The opposition vowed to keep pressing the government over 24-year-old Hung's death.
"The resignation is not the point. What the people want to know is the truth," legislator Chen Ting-fei of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) told reporters.
Hung's family said he was repeatedly refused water during the punishment despite being close to collapse, and that he had previously filed complaints about other abuse meted out by his superiors.
Both Kao and President Ma Ying-jeou, whose approval ratings have plummeted in recent months, have apologised for the tragedy, vowing to investigate the case and punish those responsible.
Four military officials have been detained on abuse charges in connection to Hung's death, and punitive measures have been taken against another 26, but the measures have failed to appease public anger.
Kao had already offered to step down earlier this month, but at the time Ma rejected his offer.
Analysts have said Hung's death also dealt a blow to the defence ministry's plans for a professional military.
The ministry wants to phase out its decades-old compulsory 12 months of service by the end of 2015, replacing it with four months of military training for men aged over 20.
The government hopes volunteers will then enlist for a longer period of military service, making for a better trained, more highly skilled military.
But Colonel Hu Chung-shih, who is responsible for the initiative, admitted recently that "the Hung case will surely have negative impacts on the plan".
Taiwan currently has around 275,000 service personnel among a population of 23 million, down from a peak of 600,000 during the Cold War.
