U.S. Navy SEALs, Commander Howard, Commander Merrill, and Lieutenant Phillips, are sent to South Korea to assist a disabled U.S. submarine near the waters of North Korea. Arriving at the site, the SEALs plants explosives to destroy the submarine and prevent it from getting into enemy hands. However, as the charges go off, a helicopter with North Korean soldiers appears and takes the men into custody. News of the capture is reported on television, stating that the men have been charged with espionage and will be executed if found guilty. After hearing the reports, Cdr. Howard’s oldest son, Shawn, and Lt. Phillips’s daughter, Adrian, worry about their fathers. Their friend Max Rothman, Adm. Rothman’s son, tells them he overheard that a rescue mission would soon be discussed by Gates, the Secretary of State. Max plants a listening device inside the meeting room, and learns that the proposed mission, “Operation Phoenix,” would involve a team sneaking into North Korea during the North Korean Workers’ Festival, and rescuing the SEAL team with the assistance of South Korean intelligence operative, Colonel Kim Song. However, fearing that any rescue attempt would anger the North Korean government, Secretary Gates rejects the plan. When Adrian and the other offspring tell Cdr. Merrill’s son, J. J., about the aborted mission, J. J. suggests they take on the mission themselves. As the teenagers discuss their plan, Shawn’s younger brother, Bobby, overhears them. With Max’s help, the plans for Operation Phoenix are taken from Adm. Rothman’s office. The teens arrive in Seoul, South Korea, and look for a motorboat to get them into North Korea. While J. J. and Shawn steal a boat, Max finds Bobby following them, and they bring him along. Following the mission plan, they travel the San River, but are seen by North Korean soldiers. Shawn evades their capture, but their boat runs out of fuel. Disguised as fishermen, the group arrives at the village of Sang-ri to meet Kim Song. Although Song is impressed by their bravery to rescue their fathers, he informs them that he was ordered by Adm. Rothman to return them home. Refusing to give up, the group continues with the mission and sneaks into the prison where their fathers are being held, via an underground well. Max, J. J. and Shawn take a supply of fireworks, they find to be ignited later as a distraction. J. J. dresses as a North Korean soldier and goes into the American’s cellblock, but is attacked by a guard. Seeing his son in trouble, Cdr. Merrill reaches through his cell bars and breaks the soldier’s neck. After freeing the SEAL team, J. J. signals Shawn to light the fireworks. The North Korean soldiers run from the exploding fireworks, as Kim Song appears and helps the Americans escape. Arriving at an airfield, they board a carrier plane, and Cdr. Phillips pilots it toward South Korea. They receive clearance to land at the U.S. naval base, but their plane runs out of fuel. However, Phillips lands safely, and J. J., Adrian, Shawn, Bobby, Max and the SEALs are welcomed back as heroes.