WASHINGTON, Sept 6 — A covert 2019 US Navy SEAL mission to plant a listening device in North Korea to spy on leader Kim Jong Un went disastrously wrong, resulting in civilian deaths, the New York Times reported yesterday.
WASHINGTON, Sept 6 — A covert 2019 US Navy SEAL mission to plant a listening device in North Korea to spy on leader Kim Jong Un went disastrously wrong, resulting in civilian deaths, the New York Times reported yesterday.
The operation took place during former president Donald Trump’s administration, at a time of sensitive nuclear negotiations with Kim. Because of the high risks involved, it reportedly required Trump’s direct approval.
Despite months of preparation, the mission faltered. SEALs from the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 used mini-submarines to approach North Korea, enduring hours in freezing waters before swimming ashore. Believing the area was clear, they failed to notice a small boat nearby.
When the boat later approached with crew carrying flashlights, one person entered the water. Fearing their cover had been blown, the senior SEAL on shore opened fire, followed by others. On reaching the boat, they discovered two or three civilians — apparently local shellfish divers — dead, with no weapons or uniforms.
The SEALs then punctured the lungs of the victims so the bodies would sink before escaping undetected.
According to the Times, the killings prompted multiple classified military reviews, which concluded the actions were justified. However, details were withheld from top congressional leaders.
While the mission did not escalate into an international crisis, it underscored the secrecy and impunity surrounding America’s elite special forces operations worldwide. — AFP
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