In early 2019, the Navy SEALs covertly entered North Korea with a mission to plant a device that would intercept communications from Kim Jong-un. However, the operation took a dark turn when they fired at unarmed civilians who were diving for shellfish. This tragic incident led to a chaotic situation where they attempted to conceal the bodies and ultimately abandoned their mission.
Reportedly, this operation had received President Trump’s approval, being executed by the Red Squadron of SEAL Team 6. According to a recent report by The New York Times, this information stems from interviews with numerous individuals, including civilian officials and members of the Trump administration, as well as military personnel familiar with the mission.
The potential success of this mission could have yielded vital insights during the intricate nuclear talks between Kim and Trump, which adds another layer to the gravity of the situation. The mission was deemed so perilous that it needed Trump’s direct authorization; if captured, the operatives could have jeopardized nuclear negotiations or faced the risk of being taken hostage.
In response to questions about the mission, Trump claimed ignorance, stating, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m hearing it for the first time now.”
As part of their preparation, the SEALs rehearsed the mission in icy waters and planned to launch from a U.S. nuclear submarine, using stealthy mini-subs to approach the North Korean coast undetected. The team, dressed in scuba gear and keeping warm with heated suits, swam for hours in freezing temperatures to reach the shore.
Initially, the operation seemed ready to proceed, especially as Trump was set to meet Kim later that month; however, when they arrived, the situation unraveled. Unexpectedly, North Korean fishing boats appeared, complicating their communication and threatening exposure. Fearing that they would be discovered, a senior member of the team resorted to gunfire.
Reports from the Times indicate that in an attempt to hide their actions, the SEALs submerged the bodies of the civilians they had shot, using knives to disable them further. It was suggested that the civilians were diving for shellfish and might have been armed.
Ultimately, the SEALs did not accomplish their objective of planting the device and had to abort the mission. Following this, U.S. intelligence noted an uptick in military activities in North Korea, but it remains unclear if North Korean authorities connected the dots regarding the incident with the divers.
Although Trump and Kim met as planned in Vietnam, no agreements were reached, and by May of that year, North Korea had resumed missile testing activities.
This mission did not see public acknowledgment until the recent reports, and it appears that key congressional intelligence committees were not informed of the operation beforehand or afterward, which experts have raised concerns about.
Matthew Waxman, a law professor and former national security official, emphasized the importance of keeping Congress informed, highlighting that such operations should not happen in the shadows.
Some personnel involved in the mission later received promotions. The operation aimed to fill gaps in U.S. intelligence regarding North Korea’s leadership, an ongoing struggle for intelligence agencies focused on autocratic regimes.
With the change in administration to President Biden, the operation drew renewed scrutiny. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III called for an independent investigation into the mission. Findings from this investigation were shared with key congressional members, but they remain classified.
The White House and the U.S. Navy have not commented on the situation, while Pentagon representatives declined to respond to inquiries.
