The New York Times has reported that the U.S. Navy SEALs executed a covert operation in North Korea in 2019, authorized by former President Donald Trump. The mission, aimed at surveillance of Kim Jong-un, resulted in the deaths of several civilians due to a misidentification of fishermen as hostile forces. The incident, which was not disclosed to Congress, has raised concerns about potential legal violations and lack of oversight.
According to the report, the SEAL Team Six, known for their role in the 2011 operation that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden, launched from submarines and used mini-submersibles to approach the North Korean coast. However, in the dark of night, the team failed to notice several men in a nearby boat. Believing them to be hostile forces, the SEALs opened fire, killing two or three unarmed fishermen. They then reportedly retrieved the bodies, punctured the lungs so they would sink, and abandoned the mission before reaching the target site.
Breakdowns in communication and surveillance reportedly compounded the problems, the article continued. Commanders aboard supporting submarines could not maintain radio contact, drones were unavailable, and satellite imagery was outdated, leaving the team without reliable intelligence. A subsequent military review concluded the killings resulted from “an unfortunate sequence” of unforeseeable events rather than misconduct, but the findings were kept classified.
The mission was never disclosed to Congress, raising concerns about the lack of oversight, and may have violated U.S. law, according to the NYT. North Korea has never acknowledged the incident, and it remains unclear whether Pyongyang ever learned of it until now.
In 2019, Trump sought a breakthrough with Kim on North Korea’s nuclear program, but talks failed and Pyongyang pressed ahead. Washington now estimates North Korea has about 50 nuclear warheads and missiles capable of hitting the U.S.