The haunting cries of a Sydney couple, whose lives were tragically claimed by a martial arts instructor, continue to echo in the memories of their bereaved family and friends.
Today, Kwang Kyung Yoo confronted the heartache of his victims’ families, more than 18 months following the horrific act where he strangled Steven Cho, his wife Min, and a young seven-year-old student.
The courtroom of the NSW Supreme Court was a somber scene, with attendees wearing crocheted flowers as a tribute to the deceased, filling the public gallery in a silent show of solidarity and remembrance.
In a chilling sequence of events, Yoo drove Min’s white BMW to their home in Baulkham Hills, where he proceeded to fatally stab 39-year-old Steven, adding another layer of horror to the tragedy.
“Even now, we can still hear the screams and tears … as their lives were wrongfully taken,” expressed a statement from the grieving family.
“Every moment we breathe is painful, and living feels like a punishment,” they lamented, illustrating the enduring impact of this heart-wrenching crime.
Min’s brother made a lament to the heavens, asking what his family had done to deserve a tragedy like this.
“Why were our ancestors so cruel to us?” his victim impact statement said.
“What wrong did we commit that they had to take her and upset mum?”
Yoo’s interpreter began wiping away tears as the brother laid out everything he wished he had told his younger sister.
“Mum’s vanity table is piled high with tissues soaked in tears as she thinks of you,” his statement said.
“Whenever I was struggling, I knew I could reach out to you – my only little sister.
“Now I am left alone, what do I do?”
Though the agreed statement of facts did not point to a specific motive, police had found 51-year-old was interested in luxury items, social status, and wealth.
He previously lied about qualifying for the 2000 Olympic Games and earning a PhD in exercise science.
Yoo once showed the mother of one of his students a photo, which showed the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a Lamborghini, and falsely claimed it was the view from his home, with a car he owned.
Shortly before the murders, Yoo had lied to his wife, telling her a school where he worked would soon provide him with a BMW.
He would arrive at Westmead Hospital in a BMW belonging to the deceased, an hour after the 39-year-old stabbed him in self-defence.
