TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — United Microelectronics Corp. founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠) said Monday evening that photos circulating of him having an affair are fake.
Media personality Hsieh Han-ping (謝寒冰) claimed on YouTube channel Gen Media earlier on Monday that Tsao had an extramarital affair in China in 2015. Hsieh presented several photos of Tsao with a Chinese woman as evidence, per Newtalk and CNA.
Gen Media, run by Founder Media and Technology Co., is connected to Lin Cheng-kuo (林正國) of the New Party. Former New Party Chair Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明) was acknowledged by Chinese leaders Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) for opposing Taiwan's independence during Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) presidency, The News Lens reported.
In response to Hsieh's allegations, Tsao argued images can be easily manipulated. He added that debating the authenticity of such photos is pointless, as believers will remain convinced, while skeptics will not change their stance.
Commentator Huang Yang-ming (黃揚明) said on Facebook that Tsao was a Singaporean citizen at the time of the alleged incident. Any interactions with a Chinese national, he argued, would be a private matter between Tsao and his spouse.
Tsao said the real question is, why someone would use fake photos to ruin his life? Yet he also warned the photos could have devastating consequences for the woman involved, potentially making her life in China untenable.
Later Monday evening, Tsao issued a further statement, reiterating that the images in question were digitally altered.
Tsao, who founded the Taiwan Anti-Communist Volunteers Alliance in January, has launched recall efforts against KMT and TPP legislators. He is also leading a recall proposal against KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯).
KMT think tank deputy director Ling Tao (凌濤) stated on Tuesday that Tsao has strong connections with senior officials from the DPP. Ling raised concerns that if Tsao were to be compromised, it could present a national security threat.
As a result, Ling has submitted a formal complaint to the Investigation Bureau. He asked for clarification regarding the investigative process and requested a timeline for the release of the bureau's findings.
DPP Legislator Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) expressed her support for Tsao’s legal action on Tuesday, saying that strong legal measures are the only way to deter such behavior. Wu, a former victim of deepfake attacks, condemned the character assassination tactics, per Yahoo News.
Tsao announced Tuesday that he will pursue both criminal and civil lawsuits against Hsieh, seeking NT$100 million (US$3 million) in damages. He vowed to donate the compensation to fund recall campaigns, per CNA.
