POLICE APOLOGIZES FOR DEATH OF CHILD

[Anchor Lead]

The National Police Agency chief has apologized for the poor initial response to the death of an adopted infant who had been abused by her adoptive parents. His apology comes three months after the first case of child abuse was first reported. The head of the local police station in charge of the case has been removed from his post for its mismanagement.

[Pkg]

The National Police Agency commissioner general issued an apology following criticisms of poor initial response and inadequate investigation into the death of an adopted infant named Jung-in. Kim Chang-yong deeply apologized for failing to save the girl's life.

[Soundbite] KIM CHANG-YONG(COMMISSIONER GENERAL, NATIONAL POLICE AGENCY) : "As the commissioner general, I feel an enormous sense of responsibility for the poor initial response and inadequate investigation."

The head of the Yangcheon Police Station, which was in charge of the case, has been removed from his post. Police received reports of suspected child abuse twice -- in May and June last year. However, each time the case was closed because Jung-in's adoptive parents said the girl's bruises were caused during massages and that she was left alone in the car for sleep training. A pediatrician who treated the girl personally reported the case, but nothing was done to stop the abusive parents. Police belatedly launched an investigation after Jung-in's death, but only five police officers who handled the third report were disciplined. Officers who handled the first two reports of child abuse only received warnings. A petition posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website demanding the officers' dismissal was signed by more than 200,000 people in just one day. The Korean Pediatric Society also submitted a letter to the prosecution to demand the girl's adoptive parents be charged with murder. The society cited scientific evidence to prove that Jung-in's injuries were caused by physical violence.

[Soundbite] LIM HYUN-TAEK(KOREAN PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION) : "According to one thesis, a person's pancreas can only be broken when someone kicks their abdomen as hard as a player would during a soccer match."

The girl's adoptive parents are to stand their first trial next week. So far, nearly 700 petitions demanding harsh punishment have been sent to the court.