Mission Background and Context

• 💡 The mission originated from the US intelligence community's long-term efforts to penetrate North Korea, an intelligence "black hole."
• 📌 It occurred during the first Trump administration's nuclear talks with Kim Jong-un, where Trump sought a personal deal.
• 🔑 The operation involved planting a sophisticated listening device to gain insight into North Korean high-level communications.

Operation Planning and Challenges

• 🚀 The plan involved an Ohio-class nuclear submarine deploying mini-subs (SDVs) close to the North Korean shore.
• 🥶 SEALs in wet mini-subs (requiring heated suits) would then swim ashore to plant the device, aiming for a quick, undetected insertion.
• ⚠️ Significant challenges included operating in a denied area without ISR or real-time communications, and navigating fortified shores.

The Botched Infiltration

• 💥 During insertion, a mini-sub slightly missed its mark, and SEALs were deployed about 150 meters from shore.
• 🎣 They encountered North Korean fishermen/divers who were mistaken for security forces, leading to a SEAL opening fire.
• ❌ The mission was aborted after the fishermen were killed, their bodies disposed of, and the listening device was never planted.

Aftermath and Strategic Silence

• 🤫 North Korea maintained total silence regarding the incident, despite US assumptions they knew due to an unusual military buildup.
• 📊 The White House was concerned the incident might cancel the Hanoi summit but it proceeded as planned.
• 💡 Experts suggest North Korea's silence was a strategic decision, as acknowledging the raid offered no material gain and could undermine Kim Jong-un's image.

Accountability and Transparency

• ⚖️ The mission carried extreme risks, including potential escalation to war, a grounded nuclear submarine, or captured US personnel.
• 🚨 Congress was not informed of the operation until the Biden administration, raising questions about legal violations and oversight.
• 🔍 The authors emphasize the need for cleareyed understanding of risk-reward in special operations and greater transparency to prevent future failures.