Report: US Navy SEALs botched 2019 secret mission in North Korea

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) — A secret US Navy SEAL mission in 2019 to plant surveillance equipment inside North Korea collapsed soon after it began, resulting in the deaths of several civilians, the New York Times reported.

The failed operation took place during President Donald Trump’s first term while sensitive nuclear talks with Kim Jong Un were underway. According to the report, the mission was so risky it required direct presidential approval, but Trump insisted Friday that he had no knowledge of it. “I don’t know anything about it. I’m hearing it now for the first time,” he told reporters.

The SEALs, from the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, approached North Korea in mini-submarines after months of practice, exposing themselves to freezing water for hours before swimming ashore.

Believing they were alone, the commandos did not detect a small boat nearby. When the boat’s crew approached with flashlights and one person jumped into the water, the SEALs assumed their cover was blown.

A senior enlisted SEAL opened fire, followed by others.

When they reached the vessel, they discovered two or three bodies but no weapons or uniforms.

The victims were apparently civilians diving for shellfish. To conceal the evidence, the SEALs reportedly punctured the lungs of the crew so the bodies would sink before escaping unharmed.

The Times said the incident led to multiple military reviews, all of which ruled the killings justified. The findings were classified, and top congressional leaders were not briefed.

While the mission did not trigger a crisis, analysts noted it easily could have, underscoring the secrecy and impunity with which US special forces often operate worldwide.