Woman accused of murdering her children and leaving their bodies in luggage faces New Zealand trial

A trial opened in New Zealand on Monday for a woman accused of murdering her two children and leaving their bodies in suitcases for years before they were discovered.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A trial opened in New Zealand on Monday for a woman accused of murdering her two children and leaving their bodies in suitcases for years before they were discovered.

Hakyung Lee is charged with killing Minu Jo, 6, and Yuna Jo, 8, in June 2018. She was extradited from South Korea to face the charges, which she denies.

The children’s remains were found inside luggage at an abandoned storage unit in Auckland in August 2022. Lee, who is a New Zealand citizen, had traveled to South Korea and changed her name in 2018, shortly after the children are believed to have been killed.

She was born in South Korea and went by the name Ji Eun Lee previously.

A jury was chosen on Monday for Lee’s trial at the High Court in Auckland, which is expected to take four weeks. Prosecutors are due to outline their case on Tuesday and said they would call 40 witnesses.