Mumbai, September 5: US commandos reportedly killed civilians in North Korea during a botched mission in 2019. According to a report in The New York Times, unarmed civilians were allegedly shot and killed by US Navy SEAL commandos during a secret mission to reportedly plant a listening device in North Korea. The alleged incident is said to have taken place during diplomatic negotiations between the two countries in 2019.

The report cited unidentified sources, including current and former military officials who knew the mission, which is to date classified. In its report published today, September 5, NYT claimed that the then US President Donald Trump had approved the operation while he was involved in historic talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. US Navy Ship Engulfs in Fire Off Japan’s Okinawa: Report.

It is reported that the unarmed civilians were diving for shellfish when they came across the detachment of US Navy SEALs as they splashed ashore at night. As per the Times report, the American commandos reportedly opened fire and killed all the people aboard the small fishing vessel. However, the report did not mention the number of casualties.

The report further added that after the incident, a classified Pentagon review concluded that the killings of civilians in North Korea were justified under the rules of engagement. Since the last summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in 2019, talks between the two countries have hit a roadblock, with North Korea moving ahead with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme. US Fighter Jet Crash: F-35 Lightning II Stealth Aircraft Crashes and Bursts Into Flames Near Lemoore Naval Air Station in California, Video Surfaces.

It is also reported that the White House, Pentagon and the US Embassy in Seoul did not respond to requests for comment on the NYT report.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2025 09:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).