US SEAL Team 6 Fired on North Korean Civilians During Botched 2019 Mission

SEOUL, September 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Navy SEALs from Team 6 fatally shot several North Korean civilians during a covert 2019 operation intended to install a listening device on the country’s coast, a New York Times report disclosed today.

Mission Revelations The mission, authorized by former President Donald Trump amid high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Kim Jong Un, involved Red Squadron SEALs clandestinely landing under cover of darkness to plant an electronic surveillance device. When the team encountered a small fishing boat carrying unarmed shellfish gatherers, they opened fire, killing all aboard and aborting the operation.

Pentagon Assessment A classified Pentagon review later deemed the shootings permissible under existing rules of engagement. U.S. officials and the Pentagon declined to comment on the New York Times findings, and it remains unclear whether North Korean authorities detected the intrusion at the time.

Diplomatic Context The aborted mission occurred during a brief thaw in U.S.-North Korean relations, as President Trump prepared for a second summit with Kim in Hanoi. Despite the covert operation’s failure, the two leaders met as planned, though substantive agreements on nuclear disarmament were not reached.

Aftermath and Oversight Under President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an independent investigation into the 2019 operation, and key members of Congress were subsequently briefed on its classified outcome. North Korea has since resumed missile tests, further straining diplomatic efforts.