Updated May.12,2006 20:34 KST

Hwang Charged With Masterminding Fraud
Disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk closes his eyes during a press conference on January 12, 2006, when the journal Science retracted a fraudulent 2004 paper on stem cell research he authored.

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Prosecutors have concluded that the disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk masterminded the fabrication of claims to have cloned human stem cells and developed patient-tailored stem cells. But they said Hwang was indeed deceived by a researcher, as he claimed, into believing stem cells the researcher had created from in-vitro fertilized embryos were cloned embryonic stem cells matching patients¡¯ DNA.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office on Friday indicted the scientist without arrest on charges of fraud, embezzlement and breach of the bioethics law. He is suspected of embezzling and misusing W2.8 billion (US$2.8 million) in research funds and illegally paying for human eggs for use in research.

The researcher, Kim Seon-jong of the MizMedi fertility clinic, was indicted for tampering with research. Other collaborators - Prof. Kang Sung-geun and Lee Byung-chun of Seoul National University and Prof. Yoon Hyun-soo of Hanyang University - were also charged with embezzling research funds. Prosecutors recommended disciplinary action for another collaborator, Dr. Lee Yang-han of the National Institute of Scientific Investigation.

Prosecutors say they will take no separate action over the fabrication of data in Hwang¡¯s published research. ¡°There is no precedent in the world where someone has been punished for fabricating research results, and the matter should be left to academic mechanisms,¡± a prosecutor said. However, the fraud charge is based on the fabrication of two papers published in the journal Science in 2004 and 2005 that netted Hwang massive research funds.

Prosecutors dismissed claims by die-hard Hwang supporters that Hwang collaborators Prof. Moon Shin-yong of SNU Medical College, the head of MizMedi Hospital Roh Sung-il and Kim conspired to deceive Hwang.

Hwang made no public comment but was reportedly shocked by the indictment since he had been convinced the probe would exonerate him and planned to resume research.

(englishnews@chosun.com )


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