Police and forensic staff outside the property where the bodies were discovered. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
New Zealand police are seeking the extradition of a woman in Korea over the deaths of two children, whose bodies were found in suitcases in Auckland last month.
The children's remains were discovered by an Auckland family in Clendon Park, who had bought the contents of an abandoned storage locker.
The Korean National Police's Interpol Bureau told RNZ the 42-year-old woman was apprehended in an apartment in the city of Ulsan early this morning, and faced two charges of murder.
The arrest warrant was issued by the South Korean courts following a request from the New Zealand police, under the extradition treaty between the two countries.
Assistant inspector Suh Joon from the bureau confirmed the woman was a New Zealand National without Korean citizenship.
Inspector Suh said the woman was currently held in custody in Ulsan, but would soon be transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's office, where she is fo face an extradition hearing.
Suh said they could not comment on her state of wellbeing at the time of arrest.
Earlier today Counties Manukau CIB detective inspector Tofilau Fa' amanuia Vaaelua said an arrest warrant was issued by the Korean courts as a result of a request by New Zealand police under the extradition treaty between New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.
He said New Zealand police had applied to have her extradited back to New Zealand to face the charges and had requested she remain in custody while awaiting the completion of the extradition process.
Law professor Dr Neil Boister earlier told RNZ's Midday Report the extradition process should not face too many hurdles as the offence is not political, but adds there might be a few exceptions such as health and citizenship conditions.
"Whether she's able to argue that she's unable to be extradited... on humanitarian grounds, there is an exception in that regard in the extradition treaty," he said.
Furthermore, he said Korean authorities did not need to give a reason for refusing the extradition of an individual if they are a Korean citizen.
Dr Boister said it was expected the court in korea will be assessing any extradition requests, and that the women may engage legal help and raise objections.
He said once an extradition order was made by the Korean court, it would take 45 days before she had to leave the country.
The Interpol Bureau in Seoul was unable to confirm whether the woman had legal representation yet.
Human rights lawyer Tony Ellis said it would be far easier to extradite the woman given she did not have South Korean citizenship. Some countries would not extradite their own citizens, he said.
But it was hard to tell how long the process may take as it was largely dependent on how the woman responded to the arrest, Ellis said.
"I suppose it all comes down to how much money you've got and can you afford to fight it, in Korea, or are you going to save the money for fighting it in New Zealand, or are you just going to confess."
Meanwhile, Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Daniel Newman said the community was shocked by the incident last month and welcomed news of the arrest.
"I am hopeful that the deceased children's stories will be told, that those responsible are held to account, and that the wider community receives the necessary closure in this case," he said.