The man allegedly behind a triple homicide in Sydney’s west forged his university qualifications and lied about his Olympic taekwondo achievements, it has been revealed.
Kwang Kyung Yoo, a 49-year-old taekwondo instructor, has been charged with three murders of 41-year-old Min Cho and a seven-year-old child at his Paramatta north martial arts studio.
He has also been charged with murdering the woman’s husband, 39-year-old Steven Chu, by stabbing him at his home in Baulkham Hill on Monday.
Mr Yoo allegedly drove to Westmead Hospital with stab wounds to his chest, arms and stomach, and claimed he was randomly attacked in a supermarket car park.
But police will allege he sustained the injuries while committing murder.
Mr Yoo claims to be a Senior Professor at Macquarie University on his Facebook page and reportedly posted a photo to social media indicating he was applying to be awarded with a more senior position within the university, a “Distinguished Senior Professor”.
But a spokesperson for Macquarie University said “there is no record of any appointment of Kwang Kyung Yoo, nor Lion Yoo, to a position at Macquarie University”.
The falsified document Mr Yoo posted to social media. Photo; Supplied
While a “Distinguished Professor” is a title given out by the Sydney university “Distinguished Senior Professor” is not.
On the website for Mr Yoo’s business, Lion’s taekwondo and Martial Art Academy, he suggests he is currently studying a PhD in Sports Science at the University of Sydney.
But the university said they had “no record” of Mr Yoo being a “student or graduate”, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Yoo also claims to have won a silver medal in the 2004 Taekwondo World Cup, a gold in the 2002 Martial Arts World Championships and a gold medal in the 1995 Army Taekwondo Championship.
But it can be revealed that none of the three events exist by those names and there appears to be no record of Yoo taking home a medal at any of the competitions.
Mr Yoo also claims he was selected by Australia to compete in the 2000 Olympics, but Australian Taekwondo denied the claims, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Police were seen investigating at Mr Yoo’s martial arts centre in North Parramatta, after three bodies were found at two separate crime scenes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
Forensic investigators could be seen taking finger prints from the glass window of the martial arts studio. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
Neighbours of the Cho family told NCA NewsWire they were “shocked” and “scared” by the alleged murders.
Baulkham Hills resident Saniu Awais, whose house looks directly at the Cho family house, said she didn’t hear or see anything on Monday night when Mr Cho was allegedly murdered.
“That’s what’s so shocking. How did he get here?” she said, noting that the neighbourhood was known for being “very safe”.
Ms Awais said she had “never heard of this” happening in the area during the nearly four years she has lived there.
“It’s very sad and shocking,” she said.
“(The neighbours) all want a kind of closure. We all want to know what happened. Because otherwise you’re just scared for your kids.”
New details have emerged from police about a taekwondo instructor who is expected to be charged with the murder of three people in Sydney’s north-west.
The wife of a taekwondo instructor was left desperately calling her husband for answers after he had allegedly brutally murdered three people, police claim.
Kwang Kyung Yoo, known by his students as Master Lion, is set to be charged with murder after he is alleged to have fatally strangled 41-year-old Min Cho and a seven-year-old child inside his taekwondo studio before fatally stabbing 39-year-old husband Steven Cho.
It can now be revealed Mr Yoo, 49, has a family of his own, with the wife left calling Mr Yoo for answers after he was admitted to hospital. She is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Mr Yoo underwent surgery overnight after admitting himself to hospital with “slash wounds” to his chest, arms and stomach on Monday night, telling police he was attacked in a shopping centre car park in Parramatta, police say.
However, police allege Mr Yoo acquired the wounds after killing the young couple and child with detectives now investigating if the tragedy was a love triangle gone tragically wrong.
In videos posted to Facebook, Mr Yoo can be seen filming his wife, son and small dog as the family walk their Kellyville neighbourhood and play soccer in the local park.
“Having a precious time with my treasures on [this] beautiful Sunday afternoon,” he captioned one video.
In another video, Mr Yoo can be seen sparring with his then-six-year-old son in 2022.
“Having a most great time with my Son. My Son was asking me for a little training today.
On Wednesday morning, NSW Police Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty said police allege the child had just finished up a lesson with Mr Yoo at the taekwondo studio when the instructor fatally assaulted Ms Cho and the seven-year-old.
Police then allege Mr Yoo travelled to Baulkham Hills and had a confrontation with Ms Cho’s husband.
“As a result of that confrontation, he has been stabbed to death,” Mr Doherty said.
Mr Doherty said the couple are originally from South Korea, with the consulate notified and assisting NSW Police.
“What we can say is [the three alleged victims] were living together in Baulkham Hills … and the seven-year-old regularly attended the martial arts centre for taekwondo centre,” Mr Doherty said.
“We are still establishing what other connections or what other relationships may have been or what not have been.
“There was no warnings, from what we have gathered so far. It was out of the blue. It wasn’t something that was forewarned or planned.”
Mr Yoo is now under police guard at Westmead Hospital and is expected to be charged with three counts of murder later today.
Police have urged anyone who may have seen the white BMW on Monday to contact police.
Parents said they were sent a “weird text” by the academy on Tuesday morning informing them lessons were cancelled because the academy’s chief instructor, Master Yoo, was in hospital.
The cryptic text announced that “pick-up at 3:10pm for after school activities is no longer possible”.
“Due to injuries resulting from a car accident this morning Master is currently in the hospital,” the text read.
