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Auckland Jury Convicts Hakyung Lee of Murdering Two Children Found in Suitcases

Jurors rejected her insanity plea under New Zealand’s legal test, with sentencing scheduled for 26 November.

Overview

  • The remains of Yuna Jo, 8, and Minu Jo, 6, were discovered in 2022 inside suitcases bought from an auction of a south Auckland storage unit.
  • Prosecutors said the killings occurred in 2018; Lee admitted giving the antidepressant nortriptyline and placing the children’s bodies in luggage.
  • The Crown argued her concealment of the bodies, continued storage, name change, and travel to South Korea showed she knew the acts were wrong.
  • Lee was arrested in South Korea in 2022 and extradited to New Zealand; she represented herself at trial with the assistance of standby counsel.
  • Justice Geoffrey Venning remanded her in custody for a 26 November sentencing, ordered mental‑health reports, and noted murder carries life imprisonment with a minimum 10 years before parole eligibility.