A South Korean court has reportedly approved the extradition of the woman arrested over the deaths of two children whose bodies were found inside suitcases in Auckland, according to Korean reports.
The Yonhap News Agency is reporting that the Seoul High Court made the decision today and the 42-year-old woman is believed to have consented to her extradition.
The Seoul High Court said its decision came after the unidentified woman agreed in writing to be sent back to New Zealand. The court had previously planned to review her case on Monday to determine whether she should be extradited and now says that session is no longer necessary.
With the court approving her extradition, it's now up to South Korean Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon to make the final call on whether she's sent to New Zealand. Seoul's Justice Ministry didn't immediately respond to questions on how soon that decision could be made.
The justice ministry last month instructed prosecutors to apply for the review at the court after determining there was "considerable reason" to believe that the suspect committed the crimes.
The woman was arrested in mid-September after South Korean police, at the request of police in New Zealand, found her in Ulsan just outside of Seoul.
The arrest warrant was issued by the Korean courts after a request by New Zealand police for an arrest warrant under the extradition treaty between New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.
South Korean police say the woman was born in South Korea and later moved to New Zealand, where she gained citizenship. Immigration records show she returned to South Korea in 2018.
The two bodies of the primary school-aged children were found in suitcases in Auckland's Clendon Park on August 11.
The suitcases were won at an auction for abandoned goods in a storage unit.
It is believed they died in 2018.
The police have been contacted for comment.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
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