Trump approved failed 2019 Navy SEAL mission in North Korea that killed civilians: NYT | World News

A secret US Navy SEAL mission inside North Korea in 2019, personally approved Donald Trump during his first term as president, ended with the deaths of unarmed civilians, the New York Times reported on Friday.
The mission’s goal was to plant an electronic device that would allow US intelligence agencies to monitor communications of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the newspaper said. Because of the risks, it required Trump’s direct authorisation.
According to the Times, SEAL Team Six’s Red Squadron rehearsed for months. The plan involved slipping a nuclear-powered submarine close to the North Korean coast, releasing smaller mini-submarines, and having commandos swim ashore to place the device.
But the operation collapsed when the SEALs came across a small North Korean boat. Believing they had been spotted, the commandos opened fire, killing those on board. Later evidence suggested the victims were civilians diving for shellfish.
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