US navy Seals shot and killed several North Korean civilians during a covert operation in 2019, according to a New York Times report published Friday.
The mission, which aimed to plant a listening device inside the country, was personally approved by then-President
Donald Trump as he prepared for high-stakes talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The plan was designed to close a “blind spot” in US intelligence by intercepting Kim’s communications, potentially giving Trump an advantage before their summit. But the mission unraveled when a detachment of Seals encountered civilians diving for shellfish.
The Americans opened fire, killing everyone on a small fishing vessel, the report said, without specifying the number of casualties.
In 2019, the Seals were dispatched to North Korean waters in a nuclear-powered submarine and deployed in two mini-subs to reach the shore. A team of eight was supposed to slip past border forces, install the device, and escape undetected. Instead, after the deadly encounter, the unit withdrew without completing its task.
A classified Pentagon review later concluded the killings were justified under the rules of engagement, the Times reported. Neither Washington nor Pyongyang has ever publicly acknowledged the botched operation. White House officials had initially warned that even a small military action risked provoking “catastrophic retaliation” from
North Korea.
The newspaper said the plan drew inspiration from a similar mission approved by former President George W Bush in 2005. The White House, Pentagon, and US embassy in Seoul did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Since Trump’s last summit with Kim in 2019, diplomatic talks have collapsed as North Korea accelerated its nuclear and missile programs. This week, Trump claimed US forces killed 11 people in a strike on a boat in international waters allegedly carrying drugs to the US.
The White House provided few details, saying the operation targeted Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
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