U.S. Media Reports: Navy SEALs Allegedly Killed North Korean Civilians on Secret Mission in 2019, Claim Trump Approval

International Desk | PNN

Members of the U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 reportedly killed several North Korean civilians during a secret mission in 2019, according to the U.S. daily The New York Times. The report states that the mission was carried out with the approval of then-President Donald Trump.

The mission aimed to secretly enter North Korea and install a listening device to monitor the country’s top leadership. However, due to multiple errors during a night operation with disrupted communications, several local fishermen unexpectedly came across the U.S. forces. At the time, they were collecting sea cucumbers and shells.

Navy SEAL members allegedly shot and killed the fishermen and later attempted to dispose of the bodies in the water. Multiple sources said that the SEALs even stabbed the lungs of the bodies to ensure they would not float.

The New York Times reported that it obtained the information from former and current U.S. government officials, military personnel, and eyewitnesses, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity due to the mission’s secrecy. Some sources said they revealed the incident out of moral obligation, as failures in special operations are often kept secret.

The report also states that the final approval for the mission came from then-President Donald Trump. However, when asked by reporters on Friday, Trump claimed he had no knowledge of any such operation.

scorce: Al Jazeera