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Korea¡¯s broadcasting watchdog
could punish MBC¡¯s investigative program ¡°PD Diary¡± over alleged
strong-arm tactics in digging the dirt on cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-suk
and his team. Korean Broadcasting Commission chairman Noh Sung-dai told
a National Assembly oversight committee on Tuesday the body would
discuss the matter on Thursday and could respond with ¡°severe
disciplinary punishment¡± according to regulations. Measures could
include suspension of the show and a ban on repeats, he said. ¡°MBC has
reported to the commission that it will decide internal disciplinary
measures against the producers,¡± he added. He promised to take viewers¡¯ complaints into account and try to
speed up deliberations. The commission has had some 90 complaints about
¡°PD Diary¡± from viewers who demanded a thorough investigation of the
journalists¡¯ methods and objectivity. Noh said the decision whether to punish MBC management as well
was with the board of the terrestrial broadcaster¡¯s largest
shareholder, the Foundation for Broadcast Culture. The board in an
emergency meeting on Monday reached no decision, ¡°so it will have to
discuss the matter further in a regular board meeting next week,¡± he
said. Meanwhile, Prof. Hwang Woo-suk is reportedly unwell and may
have to delay his return to work, which had been expected later this
week. Hwang collaborator Prof. Ahn Cu-rie of Seoul National
University told reporters Prof. Hwang wanted to return to work as soon
as possible but should be in hospital given his bad health. She said
Hwang was so exhausted that he was not eating properly. Prof. Lee Byung-cheon, another SNU colleague, reiterated the
team will not re-verify a stem cell research paper published in Science
that has been at the heart of allegations. Lee said re-verification of
the paper would set an improper precedent and could hurt recognition
for Korean scientists in the international scientific community, but
the team would in the natural course of things find itself verifying
its groundbreaking results in follow-up papers. Ahn said the team was
willing to let any scientists observe its stem cell lines and
cultivation process. Also on Tuesday, another 150 Hwang supporters delivered a
written pledge to donate ova for stem cell research to SNU¡¯s College of
Veterinary Medicine. The women spread azaleas from the entrance of the
college to Hwang¡¯s office to express their hope of the geneticist¡¯s
early return. More than 1,000 women earlier pledged to donate their
eggs. (englishnews@chosun.com )
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