A chilling trial has begun in New Zealand for a woman accused of murdering her two young children and concealing their bodies in suitcases for years before the shocking discovery in 2022.
Hakyung Lee, 42, faces charges of killing her children, 6-year-old Minu Jo and 8-year-old Yuna Jo, in June 2018. Prosecutors allege Lee fled to South Korea, changed her name, and left the children’s remains inside an abandoned storage locker in Auckland. The tragic case came to light when the locker’s contents were auctioned off, and buyers made the grim discovery.
Lee, a New Zealand citizen originally from South Korea, was arrested in Seoul in September 2022 and extradited to New Zealand later that year. She denies the charges.
On Monday, a jury was selected at the High Court in Auckland. Justice Geoffrey Venning, who is presiding, entered not-guilty pleas on Lee’s behalf after she refused to speak through her interpreter. Reports say Lee is representing herself, with standby lawyers available if needed. The trial is expected to last four weeks, with more than 40 witnesses scheduled to testify.
Prosecutors may present forensic evidence suggesting the children were killed with prescription sleeping medication found in their systems, although the official cause of death remains uncertain.
Court records reveal that Lee’s husband died in 2017 after a prolonged illness. Just one year later, the children are believed to have been killed. Justice Venning told jurors they will also need to consider Lee’s mental state at the time of the alleged crimes.
The judge also allowed Lee to view the proceedings from a separate room, citing the emotional strain of the trial.
The case has drawn worldwide attention because of its disturbing nature and the international manhunt that followed. After financial struggles, Lee stopped paying for the storage unit, which ultimately led to the horrifying discovery when the belongings were auctioned online.
