The bodies of two children were discovered in suitcases in August. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
A woman arrested in South Korea over the deaths of two children whose bodies were found in suitcases had reportedly been living in an apartment building owned by a metals company.
South Korean police arrested the 42-year-old woman at 1am Korean time (4am NZ time) on 15 September in Ulsan, a city on South Korea's southeast coast, with the Herald on Sunday reporting she was apprehended at an apartment complex owned by metals and energy company Korea Zinc.
It is reported that the woman - who was arrested in relation to the remains of a girl and boy, found on August 11 in Manurewa, south Auckland - had been living in an apartment on the top floor of one of five identical buildings normally reserved to house Korea Zinc employees.
YTN, a Korean 24-hour news channel, reported on 15 September that the woman was found "hiding in an apartment", believed to belong to an acquaintance.
The Herald on Sunday reports that New Zealand Police have confirmed they have made an extradition application to have her return to face charges over the murders of the two children, aged 7 and 10, in 2018.
An extradition review will be conducted at the Seoul High Court, which would decide whether to extradite the woman to New Zealand.
The two children died "a number of years" before their remains were discovered on 11 August, New Zealand police said.
Their bodies had been placed into two suitcases and put into a locker at Safe Store Papatoetoe in south Auckland, where they remained for "three or four years".
The remains were discovered after a Clendon Park family bought the contents of the locker at an auction.
The family transported the goods, including the suitcases, home on a trailer before unpacking them.
Neighbours described seeing members of the family opening a suitcase, then standing back as if in shock.
Police and forensics teams descended on the home soon after.
Stuff reported in August that the father of the children had died in 2017, a year before the mother is thought to have arrived in South Korea. The children were aged 5 and 8 at the time of his death.
* This story originally appeared on Stuff.