TSMC stated, "Regarding the suspected unexploded ordnance discovered during excavation at TSMC's Kaohsiung site in the morning of Nov. 11, the relevant authorities have examined it and determined there are no safety concerns. The object has been removed, and construction at the site is ongoing and remains on schedule." This highlights the swift response by authorities and TSMC's commitment to ongoing development.
A unit of the Taiwanese army was dispatched, construction workers sent to safety, and the corroded bomb removed. It is reportedly being stored in a warehouse. This indicates the seriousness of the situation and the protocol followed to ensure worker safety.
The presence of the bomb is almost certainly related to the Japanese military's use of the site during World War II. The land also formerly served as a naptha cracking plant - a petrochemical process that breaks down complex hydrocarbons into simpler and more valuable chemicals such as ethylene and propylene.
Identifying the bomb was reportedly made impossible by the illegibility of its serial number. Other relics from WWII, including about 450kg of suspected unexploded ordnance remains, were found at the construction site in August.
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