Latest news with #KyungKwangYoo
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Chilling new details emerge about how a Taekwondo instructor strangled one of his students to death and killed the boy's parents - as his twisted past as a 'status-obsessed, serial liar' comes to light
A taekwondo instructor has admitted to killing his seven-year-old student and the boy's parents as his disturbing history as a status-obsessed serial liar was laid bare in court. Kyung Kwang Yoo pleaded guilty to three counts of murder at Parramatta Local Court in Sydney 's west on Thursday via video link. Disturbing court documents have pulled back the curtain on the night Yoo, who was known by his students as 'Master Lion', killed the boy, his mother Min Kyung 'Sue' Cho - 41, and his father Hyun Soo 'Steven' Cho - 39. On February 19, 2024, the boy arrived at Lion's Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy in North Parramatta at about 4.30pm for his regular Monday night lessons. He had been a student at the academy for three years and was taking double classes with Yoo to prepare for his upcoming black belt assessment. Ms Choo was seen arriving the academy about 6.20pm and spoke to Yoo while her son waited in a reception area, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. CCTV captured the mother following Yoo through a classroom and into a storeroom. He strangled her to death inside. When his classes ended at 8pm, Yoo asked the boy to follow him into the same storeroom, where the child was also strangled to death. Case facts state that after killing her and her son, Yoo took Ms Cho's BMW and drove to her family home in nearby Baulkham Hills. There he found Mr Cho and repeatedly stabbed him in the head, neck and torso with a knife and a pair of scissors. Mr Cho attempted to fight off Yoo and inflicted several stab wounds on the taekwondo instructor in self defence. At about 11pm, Yoo returned to the taekwondo academy to retrieve his phone and Ms Cho's Apple Watch. He then called his wife and told her he'd been stabbed. The pair decided to meet at a hospital. While at the hospital, Yoo told police he'd been attacked by three people at a Woolworths car park and had driven his Toyota Camry to the hospital. No motive for the triple homicide has been confirmed, however a disturbing trend has emerged of Yoo lying about his success, wealth and social status. One of his lies included being the owner of a BMW. Weeks before the gruesome murders, Yoo told his wife he would be receiving a BMW from his secondary employer, a local high school. At about 8pm on the night of the murders, Yoo called his wife to say his BMW had arrived. Soon after that conversation he drove Ms Cho's BMW to the Cho's family home. Court documents state Yoo's wife told police he'd driven a friend's BMW that night, which led officers to search the vehicle and discover blood. Police also found documents for the sale of a multimillion-dollar home in Mosman, papers in the name of 'Professor Kwang Yoo' and a false master's degree from Sydney University. Detectives claimed Yoo was known to lie to his friends and family about his income, education and family deaths and had an 'obsession' with luxury goods. His deceptions included telling his family his home had a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and he owned a Lamborghini. Yoo also told his wife and sister he had a PhD and others that he'd competed in the Olympics. Other associates of Yoo believed both his parents and his wife had died from Covid. Friends of the Cho family became concerned on the morning of February 20, 2024, and headed to their home. They called police after spotting an object covered by a blanket. Officers found Mr Cho's body in the home and headed to Lion's Taekwondo Academy, where blood was found on the building's front step and interior. The boy's body was found in the storeroom while Ms Cho's body was discovered in an office. Yoo was arrested at the hospital that evening and has been in custody since. He will be sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court later this year. The case will next be mentioned on August 1.
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Grisly details in triple murder emerge as ‘Master Lion' pleads guilty
Warning: Graphic content A taekwondo master has pleaded guilty to murdering a seven-year-old boy he taught at his studio and a married couple in a brutal triple murder in Sydney's west. Kyung Kwang Yoo, known to students at his dojang as 'Master Lion', first murdered Min Kyung 'Sue' Cho, 41, at Lion's Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy in North Parramatta on the evening of February 19 last year, while the boy waited in reception. He then collected the young student and murdered him, before driving to the woman's Baulkham Hills home and killing her husband, Hyun Soo 'Steven' Cho, 39. Yoo pleaded guilty to three counts of murder at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday morning via video link and will be sentenced later this year. A clear motive for the killings wasn't outlined in the agreed facts obtained following Yoo's pleas. Police identified Yoo as a serial liar who told friends, family and students a series of bizarre mistruths about his income, education and family deaths. Weeks before the murders, he told his wife he would be receiving a BMW – the same make as the Chos' car – from his secondary employer, a local high school. Police noted Yoo had an 'obsession' with luxury items, social status and wealth. Court documents show that, on February 19, about 4.30pm, the boy arrived at the academy for his regular Monday night classes. He had been attending the martial arts academy for three years and was taking double classes with Yoo in preparation for his black belt assessment. Sue Cho entered the academy about 6.20pm and was captured chatting with Yoo on CCTV, before following him through the classroom and into the storeroom where he strangled her.
The Age
29-05-2025
- The Age
Grisly details in triple murder emerge as ‘Master Lion' pleads guilty
Warning: Graphic content A taekwondo master has pleaded guilty to murdering a seven-year-old boy he taught at his studio and a married couple in a brutal triple murder in Sydney's west. Kyung Kwang Yoo, known to students at his dojang as 'Master Lion', first murdered Min Kyung 'Sue' Cho, 41, at Lion's Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy in North Parramatta on the evening of February 19 last year, while the boy waited in reception. He then collected the young student and murdered him, before driving to the woman's Baulkham Hills home and killing her husband, Hyun Soo 'Steven' Cho, 39. Yoo pleaded guilty to three counts of murder at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday morning via video link and will be sentenced later this year. A clear motive for the killings wasn't outlined in the agreed facts obtained following Yoo's pleas. Police identified Yoo as a serial liar who told friends, family and students a series of bizarre mistruths about his income, education and family deaths. Weeks before the murders, he told his wife he would be receiving a BMW – the same make as the Chos' car – from his secondary employer, a local high school. Police noted Yoo had an 'obsession' with luxury items, social status and wealth. Court documents show that, on February 19, about 4.30pm, the boy arrived at the academy for his regular Monday night classes. He had been attending the martial arts academy for three years and was taking double classes with Yoo in preparation for his black belt assessment. Sue Cho entered the academy about 6.20pm and was captured chatting with Yoo on CCTV, before following him through the classroom and into the storeroom where he strangled her.
