Si Mong Park, 50, a United States citizen born in South Korea, was sentenced on September 14, 2020 for stealing technology from U.S. companies he worked for and unlawfully exporting the technology to South Korea. Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced the defendant to 21 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
The defendant worked as a software engineer in the United States. While working for two different American defense contractors, he stole technical proprietary data relating to testing environment software for a storage management system for a military aircraft, and data relating to a missile system. In November 2011, he took that information to South Korea, and subsequently presented some of that information to non-U.S. personnel in order to drum up business for his company. The files contained technical data that under the Arms Export Control Act were designated on the United States Munitions List. Under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the defendant was required to apply for and obtain an export license from the United States Department of State before exporting the technical data to another country or showing it to another foreign citizen. The defendant was extradited to the United States in August of 2019, and pled guilty.
“The defendant stole sensitive U.S. military-related information and sought to use it for his own benefit. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who violate U.S. export laws designed to protect our national security. ” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin.
“When Si Mong Park worked for American defense contractors, he was entrusted with sensitive information about our defense systems. He betrayed that trust when he stole and illegally exported that information to pursue profit for his own gain,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, D.C. Field Office Raymond Villanueva. “Homeland Security Investigations works to investigate and seek prosecution for those who partake in the illegal export of U.S. military technical data to other nations as part of our mission to protect national security.”
“The illegal compromise of sensitive technology and information poses serious risks to our defense systems and personnel,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr., of the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the protection of critical defense technology and to bring to justice those who threaten our national security.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda J. Johnson of the National Security Section, Senior Trial Attorney Jeff Pearlman of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice and Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division. The Office of International Affairs, HSI Seoul, HSI Jakarta and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency also provided valuable assistance in the case.
