The Taiwanese government has found itself at the center of an international controversy after components in thousands of pagers used by the armed group Hezbollah exploded in Lebanon earlier this week. Taiwan’s economy minister, Kuo Jyh-huei, made a statement to reporters on Friday, denying that the components for Hezbollah’s pagers were produced on the island.
The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including two children, and the injury of nearly 3,000 others, has been attributed to Israel and marked a significant escalation in the conflict between the two sides. The Lebanese government has condemned the attacks and called for justice for the victims.
Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese company, also denied any involvement in the production of the devices used in the attack. The company’s boss, Hsu Ching-Kuang, stated that he had licensed his trademark to a company in Hungary called BAC Consulting, which used the Gold Apollo name on their own pagers. However, attempts to contact BAC have been unsuccessful, and the Hungarian government has confirmed that the company has no manufacturing or operational site in the country.
The situation has been further complicated by a report from the New York Times, which alleges that BAC is a shell company acting as a front for Israel, according to Israeli intelligence officers. In a separate incident, exploding walkie-talkies bearing the logo of Japanese handheld radio manufacturer Icom killed 20 people and injured at least 450 in Lebanon. Icom has distanced itself from the devices, stating that it discontinued production of the walkie-talkies a decade ago.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has blamed Israel for the attacks and vowed to seek retribution. The Israeli military has declined to comment on the accusations. The ongoing conflict between the two sides, which has been ongoing since the Gaza conflict erupted last October, has once again flared up, highlighting the complexities of the global electronics supply chain.
