Taiwan’s military will, for the first time, simulate wartime mobile internet disconnection during the live “Han Kuang” exercise in August. In response to opposition parties questioning the legal basis for this measure, the Presidential Office of Taiwan clarified that the exercise is not a complete “internet shutdown” but instead involves slowing down the internet.
According to Taiwan’s United Daily News and Liberty Times, the Han Kuang military exercise will take place from August 5 to 14. For the first time, the urban resilience drill will include a scenario simulating network obstruction: During the exercise, central and northern counties/cities will, respectively, experience disrupted mobile internet access on the afternoons of August 10 and 13.
KMT legislator Ke Ru-jun questioned, if someone misses a rescue, medical alert, or important transaction as a result, who will be responsible? TPP Legislative Yuan caucus convener Chen Ching-lung also questioned the legal basis for implementing a 30-minute “mobile internet shutdown”: Who decides and supervises this? KMT legislator Lai Shyh-bao criticized, only shutting down the internet in the north and center is the DPP manufacturing fear of war—an alternative cognitive warfare.
Presidential Office spokesperson Kolas Yotaka explained on Tuesday that the exercise does not involve a total network cut, but simulates slowing down the network to mimic scenarios such as natural disasters or large-scale cyberattacks. The drill aims to test whether, when mobile communication is affected, users can successfully switch to fixed-line, Wi-Fi, or other backup communication methods, allowing government agencies and citizens to familiarize themselves with emergency response processes and to strengthen inter-agency coordination.
She pointed out that communication drills are not pioneered by Taiwan. Japan, South Korea, and the EU have all conducted simulation exercises for communication disruption due to power outages or cyberattacks—this is a common practice to enhance societal resilience.
As for why this internet disruption drill only covers central and northern Taiwan, Kolas explained that these regions account for 73% of the island’s population and have the highest density of mobile phone use. Moreover, southern and outlying areas have already experienced real communication disruptions in the past due to submarine cable breaks and typhoon disasters. She emphasized that the drill begins in the central and northern regions and will gradually be extended to other counties and cities throughout Taiwan.
Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo explained on Monday that this drill is a preliminary verification, in conjunction with the Han Kuang exercise, and will only involve partial regions and functional downgrades of mobile networks; fixed-line networks will not be affected. This will also test the military's backup capabilities for command and control communications under simulated conditions.