AUCKLAND, New Zealand – A South Korean woman is standing trial in New Zealand accused in the deaths of her two young children, whose remains were discovered inside suitcases abandoned at an Auckland storage facility in 2022. Lee Hak-yung, 42, appeared in court monday and entered a not guilty plea by remaining silent when asked for her response by the judge.
The case, which has gripped New Zealand and South Korea, centers around the remains of Lee’s children, aged seven and ten, who were found years after they disappeared. Lee had reportedly returned to South Korea in 2018 and lived under an assumed identity before being arrested in Ulsan in September 2022 following an Interpol red notice. She was later extradited to New Zealand two months later. The trial is expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths and Lee’s alleged involvement, with the outcome carrying notable weight for both families and the wider community. Lee is representing herself, with two lawyers appointed by the court as standby counsel.
The children’s remains lay undiscovered for years until the contents of a storage locker in Papatoetoe, South Auckland, were sold at auction. Unsuspecting buyers brought the suitcases home and found the bodies wrapped and hidden inside. Lee was arrested in Ulsan in September 2022 after Interpol issued a red notice and was extradited to New Zealand two months later at the request of the police.
At Monday’s hearing, local media reported that Lee remained silent when asked by the judge how she would plead, with her silence ultimately recorded as a “not guilty” plea.