Hakyung Lee, the Korean mother accused of murdering her two children whose bodies were later found in abandoned suitcases, can be named for the first time.

After a lengthy name suppression legal dispute, the Court of Appeal has this morning ruled against keeping the woman’s name secret.

Lee’s lawyer, Chris Wilkinson-Smith, argued publication could result in extreme hardship or endanger the woman’s safety, and could also affect her ability to engage in court proceedings or medical assessments.

Crown prosecutor Gareth Kayes and lawyer for NZME Tania Goatley disagreed, both submitting that there was no evidence that publication sufficiently heightened the defendant’s risk profile.

The 42-year-old has been in custody since she was extradited from South Korea to New Zealand late last year after the discovery of her children’s remains.

Appearing in court in April, Lee spoke up to proclaim her innocence. “I didn’t do it, it’s the truth,” she said, raising her hand to address the court moments before she was led away by security officers.

An Auckland family made the grisly find after opening suitcases they bought in an auction for an abandoned South Auckland storage unit.

Police said the children would have been between 5 and 10 when they died and had been dead for years when their remains were found.

The defendant was born in South Korea, became a New Zealand citizen after moving here, and likely returned to Korea in 2018, according to Immigration records.

She has pleaded not guilty and is set to face trial in April 2024.