A 2019 Navy SEAL mission in North Korea, approved by President Donald Trump, reportedly ended in failure and left unarmed civilians dead, according to The New York Times.
The operation aimed to plant an electronic device to intercept communications from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a period of delicate nuclear negotiations, the report said.
SEAL Team Six’s Red Squadron spent months rehearsing the mission, which involved deploying from submarines into North Korean waters.
During the operation, the SEALs encountered a small boat carrying what evidence later indicated were civilians diving for shellfish. The team opened fire, killing them.
The New York Times on Friday reported details of what it says was a deadly failed raid into North Korea by a U.S. Special Operations team during President Trump’s first term back in 2019. https://t.co/eSgAFEQ23o
— FOX 5 NY (@fox5ny) September 5, 2025
The White House and Pentagon have declined comment. The Trump administration did not notify key members of Congress about the mission, the Times reported.
The incident came amid Trump’s high-stakes diplomacy with Kim, including historic summits and his unprecedented 2019 step into North Korea at the DMZ.
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