Forensic Evidence Reveals Surging Spending in Hakyung Lee's Murder Case

Auckland, New Zealand — A forensic accountant has presented compelling financial evidence in the High Court in Auckland, shedding new light on the spending habits of Hakyung Lee, a woman accused of murdering her two children and concealing their bodies in suitcases for years before they were discovered.

Hakyung Lee, 43, is currently on trial for the murders of her children, Yuna and Minu Jo, who were six and eight years old at the time of their deaths in 2018. The children’s bodies were found in suitcases nearly four years later, in 2022, when a family purchased the contents of an abandoned storage locker during an online auction.

Lee’s legal team has argued that she was in a state of mental instability following the death of her husband, Ian Jo, who passed away from cancer in 2017. They claim that her actions were the result of a 'descent into madness' that began with his death. However, the Crown has countered this argument, asserting that Lee's deliberate actions—such as hiring a storage unit, relocating the bodies, changing her identity, and fleeing to South Korea—demonstrate that she was fully aware of her actions and understood their moral and legal implications.

On Monday, forensic accountant Andrew Yoon provided detailed insights into Lee’s financial behavior in court. Yoon testified that Lee’s credit card spending skyrocketed after her husband’s death. In the 10 months leading up to Ian Jo’s death, Lee spent approximately $800 a month. However, in the eight months following his passing, her monthly spending surged to an astonishing $11,992—excluding funeral costs.

According to Yoon, Lee’s spending was largely driven by international travel and luxury accommodations. She took her children and her mother on a trip to the Gold Coast in Australia shortly after her husband’s death. During this trip, her mother reportedly noticed the extravagant nature of Lee’s spending.

Yoon’s analysis revealed that Lee spent a total of $33,593 on holidays and travel alone after her husband’s death. Additionally, the Crown presented evidence of payments made by Lee to Safe Store, the facility where the children’s bodies were stored until their discovery in 2022. Between July 2018 and April 2022, Lee paid a total of $16,330 to Safe Store for the storage of the suitcases containing her children’s remains.

This financial evidence is expected to play a crucial role in the trial, as it underscores the deliberate nature of Lee’s actions and challenges the defense’s claim of mental instability. The case has drawn significant public and media attention, with many questioning how a mother could conceal the bodies of her children for nearly four years while continuing to spend lavishly on travel and luxury.

The trial is ongoing, with further evidence expected to be presented in the coming weeks. The court will continue to examine the timeline of events, the financial records, and the psychological state of the accused.