A Taekwondo instructor in Sydney, Australia has been charged with murder after he allegedly killed a seven-year-old student and the student’s parents. The instructor then presented himself at a local hospital, bearing self-inflicted stab wounds, according to police statements.
The accused, Kwang Kyung Yoo, owns and operates Lion’s Taekwondo and Martial Arts Academy. Police records indicate that Yoo is suspected of murdering 41-year-old Min Cho and her son at his academy on Monday, February 19, 2024, following a class.
After the alleged murders at the academy, Yoo is believed to have driven to the Cho residence in Min Cho’s white BMW where he is accused of fatally stabbing her 39-year-old estranged husband, Steven Cho.
Initial forensic reports suggest that the mother and son were strangled. Yoo later sought medical help for stab and slash injuries he claimed to have received during an attack in a supermarket parking lot. His arrest took place at the hospital after the bodies of the Cho family were discovered by the authorities.
Yoo, referred to as Master Lion by his students, was informed of his arrest and the impending charges while recovering from surgery. The reasoning behind these violent acts remains unclear as the investigation into Yoo’s injuries and their source continues.
Parents of Yoo’s students, taken aback by the allegations, have spoken out, surprised at the contrast between the charges and Yoo’s typically calm demeanor during training sessions hours before the alleged murders.
A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that her child attended a class on the evening of the alleged murders. “Master Lion presented my child with a green belt and a certificate at around 4:30 p.m. that Monday,” she remembers. She added that Yoo had embraced her child and stressed the significance of regular class attendance.
She recounted that her child attended classes at the Taekwondo center three times a week for over a year and praised Yoo’s positive influence on the students there. Yoo was known to walk students from a nearby school to the studio for their lessons and arranged programs for school vacations. “He was wonderful with the children,” she added, “He would arrange activities from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during holidays, which included playing with Nerf guns and physical exercises.”
Both Yoo and the Cho family hail from South Korea, which has prompted investigators to search for any potential deeper connections that could provide insight into the incident. Homicide Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty and his team from the Sydney police are exploring any additional relationships or motives.
If convicted, Yoo could face life imprisonment, as murder in New South Wales carries a maximum penalty of a life sentence. The murder of a child carries a standard non-parole period of 25 years.
Local authorities continue to appeal to the public for any information that could assist in reconstructing the events leading to the murders, hoping to bring a clearer understanding and justice to this tragic situation.