A New Zealand court has convicted 45-year-old Hakyung Lee of murdering her two children and concealing their bodies in suitcases, a crime that remained hidden for years until a chilling discovery in Auckland shocked the world.
The Auckland High Court jury found Lee guilty of killing her six-year-old son, Minu Jo, and eight-year-old daughter, Yuna Jo, in June 2018, months after her husband&rsquo;s death from cancer. Prosecutors said the killings were deliberate and calculated, carried out to free herself from the &ldquo;burden of parenting alone.&rdquo;
The grim secret surfaced in August 2022, when the suitcases containing the children&rsquo;s remains were discovered in a disused storage facility. Lee had abandoned payments for the unit due to financial troubles, and its contents were auctioned off online. The unsuspecting buyer made the horrifying discovery after taking possession of the luggage.
Lee had fled to South Korea soon after the murders, even changing her name in an attempt to erase her tracks. She was eventually tracked down and extradited to New Zealand in late 2022. Crown prosecutors argued her actions showed rational planning, from leaving the country to covering up the crime, undermining her plea of insanity.
Her defense contended that the loss of her husband drove her into a psychological collapse, claiming she killed her children in a state of insanity. But the jury took just two hours to reject the argument. Justice Geoffrey Venning, who presided over the trial, described the case as deeply distressing and ordered Lee to remain in custody until sentencing on November 26.
In New Zealand, murder carries a mandatory life sentence, with judges required to impose a minimum term of at least 10 years before parole eligibility. Lee stood in the dock with her head bowed as the guilty verdict was read, marking the end of a trial that has gripped both New Zealand and the international community.
The case continues to resonate as one of the country&rsquo;s most haunting family tragedies, a reminder of how hidden violence can shatter lives long before the truth comes to light.

Hakyung Lee hid her children’s bodies for years, until a chilling discovery exposed her

Bodies in Suitcases: Verdict Shocks NZ

Hakyung Lee hid her children’s bodies for years, until a chilling discovery exposed her

September 23, 2025 | 13:17 IST