Did U.S. Send Special Forces Into North Korea On Spying Missions?

Photo: Brig. Gen. Neil Tolley

Did U.S. Send Paratroopers Into North Korea? Military Accused Of 'Secret Mission' To Spy On Nuke Facilities -- Daily Mail

* Controversial report says soldiers parachuted into North Korea to gather intelligence about underground tunnels
* U.S. military denies report, saying quotes were 'made up'

A team of specially-trained U.S. commandos infiltrated North Korea in a spy mission focused on the regime’s nuke program, according to a controversial report that the U.S. military denies.

The allegations are sure to stoke already sensitive tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.

According to a report yesterday in The Diplomat, Brigadier Gen Neil H. Tolley acknowledged that U.S. and South Korean special forces have parachuted into the North to get a closer look at underground military tunnels the regime has constructed.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Military Denying Reports Of U.S. Special Forces On the Ground In North Korea

US denies reports it parachuted soldiers into North Korea -- The Telegraph
US Denies Sending Commandos to Spy on North Korea -- Voice of America
US military: ‘Quotes have been made up’ about alleged incursions into North Korea -- Daily Caller

Previous Post: US Special Forces Have Been Sent Into North Korea On Spying Missions

My Comment: I mentioned yesterday that I was surprised by these attributed quotes from Brigadier Gen Neil H. Tolley. If true .... it would be an admission from a senior U.S. military official that they are violating and breaking the rules set in place by the armistice agreement that marked the end of the Korean War .... an agreement which specifically prohibit soldiers or civilians from crossing into North Korea.

Update: David Axe is the original author of this report (which is now no longer on The Diplomat website), and he is now being accused of fabricating this report. I have been an avid reader of David Axe's work for years .... and while I may disagree with him on some issues, I have always found his work honest and straight-forward. To put it bluntly .... he has never fabricated and/or lied in a report.

Update #2: David Axe is following up on his story .... blogging on his War and Boring website.

Update #3: What's my take .... David Axe should have followed up on this report with the Brig. General in question .... and with South Korean sources. This is a big story that should have had multiple sources for confirmation before publication. Having said that .... the idea of U.S. special forces in North Korea is very hard for me to accept. It opens a can of worms that would heighten tensions in the region exponentially (if a U.S. soldier was captured) .... and would guarantee a North Korean response to 'save face'.

But .... a few years ago I was told by my most important South Korean contact (one who has contacts with the Blue House) that South Korean agents have been operating in North Korea for years .... working with North Korean collaborators on obtaining vital intel on what is happening in the 'hermit kingdom'.

So .... there is probably some truth to David Axe's report of foreign military forces in North Korea .... but instead of being American they are probably South Korean. Either way .... we will probably only learn the truth long after the North Korean communist party is dead and buried and the Korea's are united as one country.