Failed 2019 Navy SEALs Infiltration Attempt in North Korea Revealed
WASHINGTON – A clandestine 2019 operation by U.S. Navy SEALs to intercept communications from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un failed after encountering a North Korean vessel and resulting in the deaths of civilian fishermen, according to a report published by The New york Times. The mission, undertaken during Donald Trump’s first term as president, aimed to install advanced electronic listening equipment to monitor high-level North Korean discussions regarding nuclear weapons.
Approximately twenty sources familiar with the operation detailed how the SEALs encountered a boat carrying individuals who were perceived as a threat. Fearing exposure, the U.S. military personnel reportedly shot and killed those on board, later discovering they were not military personnel but civilian fishermen. To conceal the incident and prevent attribution to a foreign military action, the bodies were hidden at sea, even utilizing knives.
The operation was ultimately aborted without the installation of the listening devices,due to the encounter and further complications including an incorrect maneuver by a SEAL minisubmarine. The mission was conducted “blind,” lacking real-time imagery or aerial support due to concerns about detection.Sources within the Trump governance indicated a fear that a failed mission could escalate tensions with North Korea,a nation possessing nuclear weapons and technically still at war with South Korea.
The operation was not disclosed to Congress, a potential violation of federal law, according to some testimonies gathered by The New York Times. The newspaper reported speaking with two dozen individuals connected to the mission, including government officials, Trump administration members, and current and retired military personnel.
While the White House has not officially confirmed the mission,President Joe Biden ordered an self-reliant examination upon taking office in 2021. The Biden administration afterward informed the relevant congressional committee about the operation, albeit secretly. The incident remains largely classified, marking the first public reporting of the event.