US Navy SEALs Killed North Korean Civilians in Failed 2019 Mission, Report Says

Lead A New York Times investigation reveals that in early 2019, U.S. Navy SEALs on a covert mission to install an electronic listening device off North Korea’s coast shot and killed several unarmed civilians when they unexpectedly encountered a small boat, then aborted the operation Sept. 5.

Nut Graf The report marks the first detailed public account of the clandestine raid, highlighting both the extreme risks of special operations against a nuclear-armed adversary and questions over executive oversight, since Congress was never notified of the fatal encounter.

Operation Details

  • Objective: Plant a surveillance device to intercept communications of Kim Jong Un ahead of high-stakes nuclear negotiations.
  • Forces Involved: SEAL Team 6’s Red Squadron, deployed from a nuclear-powered submarine via mini-submersibles.
  • Encounter: A North Korean fishing vessel using flashlights approached the SEALs’ insertion point, prompting the commandos to open fire, killing all aboard.
  • Outcome: The SEALs aborted the mission and extracted without U.S. personnel casualties; the device was never installed.

Political Fallout

  • Secrecy Concerns: Neither the White House nor the Pentagon publicly acknowledged the operation, and Congress was not informed, raising potential legal issues over covert action reporting requirements.
  • Pyongyang’s Response: It remains unclear whether North Korea detected or understood the incursion, though satellite imagery later showed heightened military activity in the region.
  • Strategic Impact: The failure preceded the collapse of U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks in Hanoi and a subsequent resumption of North Korean missile tests.

Broader Context

President Donald Trump personally authorized the mission during a diplomatic thaw aimed at denuclearization, underscoring the administration’s willingness to employ high-stakes covert operations to gain leverage. U.S. military officials warned that any misstep could have triggered a broader crisis given North Korea’s nuclear capability and propensity for retaliation.