Australia police apologizes to Korean student on assault

Australia's police have apologized over their inadequate response to a racist assault on a South Korean student and promised to open a re-investigation into the case, the student and South Korean officials here said Sunday. The 33-year-old South Korean student surnamed Chang was attacked on Sep. 27 at a park near his school in Melbourne by more than 10 local teenagers, who cut off a joint of his little finger and broke his left arm. In what appeared to be a controversial cover-up, however, the Australian police closed their investigation into the case by arresting and indicting just one suspect. According to Chang and South Korean consular officials, the Victoria State Police recently replaced members of the investigation team in charge of Chang's case and launched a re-investigation. Chang said two members of the new investigation team came to visit him and offered an apology over the "insufficient initial probe." Chang has been in Melbourne since July to attend a technical school. South Korea's consular office in Melbourne said the Australian authority has promised to extend Chang's six-month visa until all legal procedures regarding the assault case are completed. kwh8121@gmail.com