A concerning new report has just come out. It’s a thrilling account of a secret US Navy Seals operation to North Korea in 2019. The great mission was to improve and repair American intelligence capabilities at a crucial time of high-stakes backdoor diplomacy with the ominous nation.
Just to address an acknowledged, serious “blind spot” in US intelligence, the military sent in eight Navy Seals. Their task was to plant a seismic listening device on North Korean soil. This secretive operation was reminiscent of a similar, much broader mission that had been authorized by then-President George W. Bush in 2005. The goal of the operation was to monitor communications from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The move allowed the US to claim a major strategic victory ahead of the highly primed meet-up between Pres. Donald Trump and Kim.
How the Navy Seals executed their mission with two mini-submarines, traveling through sub-zero temperatures to their targets on the North Korean coast. Unfortunately, beyond all safety and professional standards, the operation went wildly unchecked. With the Seals trying to carry out their plan to board the freighter, they came across a small fishing boat. US forces carried out a second lethal shot, killing all those aboard the boat. Though Trump would later admit that this was an unwise move. These reports mention that the Navy Seals killed multiple North Korean non-combatants in the course of this poorly executed operation.
The event occurred amidst a vigorous international diplomatic push. If true, this unfortunate episode calls into serious question the judgment and planning of US military actions during such sensitive negotiations. The US government has not been forthcoming with information related to the operation. Simultaneously, North Korea too made some conscious decisions about what information to release and what to withhold.
In his own colorful language, Trump explained how the operation unfolded and the resulting demise of al Baghdadi. He disclosed that the airstrike on the fishing vessel that took place in international waters killed at least 11 individuals. This new disclosure adds a further inflammatory layer to an already fraught bilateral relationship. It calls attention to the dangers of secret military missions and the possibility of blowback.
The implications of this mission could be felt well beyond the tragic loss of life. This turn of events underscores the delicate line between military strategy and diplomatic engagement. It further raises troubling ethical concerns around civilian casualties in conflict areas.