Warning: This story discusses self-harm.
A jury has been told traces of an anti-depressant drug was found in the bodies of two children who it is alleged were killed by their mother, and left in suitcases in a storage unit in Auckland.
The trial of Hakyung Lee has opened in the High Court at Auckland on Tuesday, with openings from both the Crown and the defence - with Lee representing herself, but assisted by two lawyers.
The bodies of Minu Jo and Yuna Jo, aged six and eight at the time of their deaths, were found nearly four years after they were killed and were discovered in suitcases after a family bought the contents of an abandoned storage locker in an Auckland auction.
Crown prosecutor Natalie Walker's opening to the jury took them back to 11 August 2022, when a Clendon couple won an auction of the storage locker's contents containing furniture and whiteware - only to discover the body of a clothed child after opening a foul smelling suitcase.
The children Yuna Jo (left) and Minu Jo (right). Photo: Supplied
Walker said the deaths of the children would not have been discovered had Lee not run into financial problems and stopped paying for the storage, leading to its auction.
The Crown's case is that Lee had killed the children in the middle of 2018, about seven months after her husband died of cancer.
A toxicology test of the children found there was a presence of an antidepressant drug in their bodies.
Walker said the pathologist concluded that they died by homicide of unspecified means associated with an antidepressant drug, but could not be certain whether the children died from it or whether they were incapacitated by the drug, and killed by other means.
The levels of the drug inside their bodies also could not be determined due to the passage of time.
The court heard that Lee was prescribed 60 Nortryptoline tablets in August 2017, after telling her GP that she struggled with sleeping.
Walker said Lee accepted having caused the children's deaths and putting their remains in the suitcases in the storage unit, but the jury's task would be to decide whether she was insane at the time the children were killed.
Hakyung Lee, the mother of Minu Jo, 6, and Yuna Jo, 8, is charged with their murders. Photo: Lawrence Smith/ Stuff Pool
She argued that Lee's actions following the deaths of her children, including hiring a storage unit, moving the bodies, changing her name, and returning to Korea in late July 2018 flying business class - showed that these were the actions of someone who knew what they were doing, and who knew that it was wrong.
Stand-by counsel Lorraine Smith, who is assisting Lee in her self-representation, told jurors the loss of her husband in 2017 drove Lee to insanity.
"At the time Hakyung Lee killed her children, was she sane or was she insane?," she asked jurors.
"On behalf of Ms Lee, it will be submitted that at the time she killed her children, she was insane and this should be the verdict in this case," Smith said.
"She has killed her children, but she is not guilty of murder, by reason of insanity."
Smith said Lee's "descent into madness" began when she lost her husband to cancer in November 2017, and became increasingly isolated and suicidal in the months following.
"She did not want to leave Minu and Yuna behind to face an unhappy and parentless future, and in her fractured, distorted and mentally unwell frame of mind, she believed it was best if they all died together," said Smith.
Smith said Lee moved to New Zealand with her parents when she was 13, and returned to Korea for university after she lost her father at the age of about 18.
Lee later returned to New Zealand to do study hospitality, and eventually met her husband at church.
The pair married in 2006 - her husband Ian Jo worked as a supervisor at the Auckland Airport, while Lee looked after the children.
The Crown earlier told jurors that Lee had told her mother that if her husband dies, she will die too - she'd also told her mother that she'd use up all the money and die with the children together.
Crown prosecutor Natalie Walker had described to jurors a timeline for several expensive holidays that Lee took with her children in the months leading up to their deaths, and while hiding the fact of their father's death from them.
Hakyung Lee and her late husband Ian Jo. Photo: Supplied
The court heard that Lee took the children to Korea a month after their father's death and stayed in five star hotels - spending $32,000 on the two months' trip.
In April 2018, spending data showed Lee had stayed at a Hilton Hotel in Taupō, and went to the hot springs.
In May, she'd taken her children on a trip to the Gold Coast and stayed at another Hilton.
Walker said the last trip she took the children on was to Queenstown in mid-June 2018, where they spent money at a Hilton Hotel and restaurants.
Crown: 'Best evidence' through children's PlayStation
Playing Minecraft on a PlayStation may have been one of the last activities of Minu Jo and Yuna Jo before being killed by their mother, Walker told jurors.
An analysis of the data extracted from the PlayStation showed that the most recent user data activitity were from "Hero Minu" and "Princess Yuna 35" on 27 June 2018.
"At 10.53, Hero Minu had a Minecraft trophy set updated, and at 12.07pm on the same day, Princess Yuna 35 also had a Minecraft trophy set updated - a trophy set or a trophy for those of you who don't know, I didn't - is an acheivement thats earned during gameplay," Walker told jurors.
She said it was only possible to access the data for the last game played.
Walker said as insignificant as this may seem, the PlayStation evidence that would be presented in the trial may be the "best evidence" of the final activities carried out by the children that Wednesday before they were killed.
The last time the children were seen in person by family members was on 26 April 2018.
Where to get help:
- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666
- Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
- What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds
- Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.
- Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
- Healthline: 0800 611 116
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
- OUTLine: 0800 688 5463
- Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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