A secret U.S. Navy SEAL mission in early 2019 to plant a surveillance device inside North Korea reportedly ended in failure after SEALs fired on unarmed civilians, according to a New York Times investigation.
The operation, allegedly approved by President Donald Trump, was carried out by SEAL Team 6’s Red Squadron — the same unit that killed Osama Bin Laden.
The mission aimed to intercept communications from dictator Kim Jong Un ahead of Trump’s summit with Kim in Vietnam.
Mission Approval and Planning
Because of the risks, the plan required Trump’s direct authorization.
Discovery on North Korean soil could have derailed nuclear talks or triggered a hostage crisis.
The SEALs trained for months in freezing water, preparing to deploy from a U.S. submarine using stealth “wet subs” before swimming to shore to plant the listening device.
Botched Operation
In February 2019, just before the Trump–Kim summit, the mission commenced.
But once ashore, SEALs encountered a North Korean fishing boat.
Without communication to higher command and fearing detection, one SEAL opened fire, and others followed.
The civilians — believed to be shellfish divers — were killed. Their bodies were reportedly pulled into the water and sunk.
The team aborted the mission and never planted the surveillance device.
U.S. satellites later detected heightened military activity in the area, but it is unclear if Pyongyang ever learned what happened.
Aftermath
Trump told reporters Friday, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m hearing it now for the first time.”
Talks with Kim in Vietnam went forward but produced no agreement.
By May 2019, North Korea resumed missile tests.
The mission was never disclosed to congressional intelligence committees, which experts say may have violated federal law requiring notification of covert operations.
Later Review
When President Joe Biden took office, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an independent investigation by the Army inspector general’s office.
In 2021, the administration briefed select lawmakers on the classified findings.
Many personnel involved in the 2019 mission were later promoted, according to the report.
