this sounds bad, why did Navy personnel give confidential information to a Korean citizen

Owner of U.S. Navy Husbanding Services Provider Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

The owner and Chief Executive Officer of a Republic of Korea–based company, DK Marine, that provided ship husbanding services to the U.S. Navy pleaded guilty today for his role in a bribery conspiracy.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge David Bell of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s (NCIS) Far East Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Transnational Operations Field Office made the announcement.

Sung Yol “David” Kim, 49, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery before U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith of the Eastern District of Michigan. Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 17, 2020, before Judge Goldsmith.

Pursuant to his guilty plea, Kim admitted that between October 2013 and January 2014, Kim conspired with James Russell Driver III, a civilian U.S. Navy cargo ship captain, and another civilian U.S. Navy employee to have Kim and his company provide husbanding services for Driver’s ship during a December 2013 port visit in Chinhae, Republic of Korea, in violation of appropriate U.S. Navy husbanding procedures.

Driver also provided Kim with confidential and other proprietary, internal U.S. Navy information. In exchange, Kim paid bribes to Driver, including personal travel expenses for Driver and his family. Driver pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy in March 2019

NCIS and DCIS investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/owner-us-navy-husbanding-services-provider-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-commit-bribery

Husbanding

A general term used for managing the affairs of a ship while in port, including such tasks as customsformalities, fueling, supplies, repairs and any requirements of the crew. Husbanding is normally handled by ship line employees, or vessel owners or their agents.