New york: A group of the United States' Navy special operations personnel infiltrated into North Korea in early 2019 on a high-risk mission to install a device to intercept North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's communications, but the mission fell apart as it came across a North Korean civilian boat, a report said Friday. According to Yonhap News Agency, the classified mission by Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Team 6-known for eliminating Osama bin Laden-proceeded when Pyongyang was engaged in high-level nuclear talks with President Donald Trump's administration. The report, based on interviews with two dozen individuals, including civilian government officials, members of the first Trump administration, and current and former service members, elaborates on the mission's failure, during which the unarmed North Korean crew of the boat was killed. The operation coincided with a period when Trump's personal diplomacy with Kim Jong-un was fostering cautious optimism for resolving North Korea's nuclear issues, which had t roubled past U.S. administrations. Trump and Kim held three meetings: in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019, and at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. Despite the mission's failure, the SEALs initially believed in its potential success due to their past experiences. The NYT cited a previously undisclosed 2005 mission where SEALs used a mini-sub to enter North Korea and leave unnoticed. The 2019 mission aimed to address America's intelligence challenges regarding North Korea by planting a newly developed electronic device to intercept Kim's communications. In the fall of 2018, the Joint Special Operations Command, overseeing SEAL Team 6, received approval from Trump to prepare for the mission, according to military officials cited by the NYT. The Navy team conducted months of practice in U.S. waters, continuing preparations into early 2019. The mission plan involved sneaking a nuclear-powered submarine into North Korean waters, deploying a small team of SEALs in two mini- subs to reach the shore. However, the mission collapsed when the SEAL team encountered a small boat with North Korean crew members who seemed to notice something unusual. The team killed all North Koreans aboard, who appeared to be diving for shellfish, and promptly retreated unharmed, adhering to their plan to abort immediately if they encountered anyone.