Hwang Woo-suk: Disgraced Cloning Expert Convicted Of Embezzlement, Illegally Buying Human Eggs

(HYUNG-JIN KIM, AP) SEOUL, South Korea -- A South Korean stem cell scientist once hailed as a hero for bringing hope to people with incurable diseases and creating the world's first cloned dog was convicted Monday on criminal charges related to faked research, but avoided jail.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Hwang Woo-suk to two years in prison for embezzling research funds and illegally buying human eggs. However, it suspended the penalty, allowing him to stay free if he breaks no laws for three years.

Prosecutors had asked for four years in prison, but Judge Bae Ki-yeol said the 56-year-old scientist had shown remorse and had notable achievements in dog cloning.

Hwang, who appeared confident as he walked into the courthouse, made no comment as he left. His lawyer, Yoo Chul-min, suggested in an interview with the YTN television network that he would not appeal, saying Hwang had been unable to concentrate on his research because of the "time-consuming" trial.

Prosecutors were not immediately available for comment late Monday.

The verdict was the culmination of a long fall from grace for a man once hailed as a pioneer in stem cell research.

Hwang gained worldwide fame in 2004 when he and his former colleagues at Seoul National University claimed in a paper published in the journal Science that they had created the world's first cloned human embryos - and had extracted stem cells from them.

A year later, Hwang's team also claimed in the journal that they had created human embryonic stem cells genetically matched to specific patients, a purported breakthrough that promised a way to withstand rejection by a patient's immune system.

Stem cell research is highly controversial, and Hwang had been the only South Korean scientist allowed to carry out studies on the master cells that scientists say could lead to revolutionary cures for hard-to-treat diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The South Korean government showered him with lavish perks, designating him the country's first "top scientist," giving him generous research funds and assigning personal bodyguards and a diplomat to assist him with international contacts. Korean Air gave Hwang and his wife free first-class flights for a decade, calling the scientist a "national treasure."

But Hwang's reputation quickly eroded after questions about his claims led to an investigation by a university committee. It concluded that the 2005 paper was based on faked data, and also cast doubt on the previous findings. The journal, Science, retracted both papers.

The South Korean government stripped him of the right to conduct stem cell research and other privileges in 2006.

He was charged later that year with fraud for allegedly accepting some 2 billion won (about $2 million) in private donations under false pretenses. He also was accused of embezzling 800 million won (about $800,000) and buying human eggs for research in violation of South Korea's bioethics laws.

Hwang eventually admitted the data was faked but claimed he had been deceived by a fellow researcher.

The trial, which heard testimony from more than 60 witnesses, lasted more than three years. During an August hearing, Hwang pleaded for leniency, saying he was ready to "pour the last of my passion" into his research.

On Monday, Judge Bae dismissed the main fraud charge against him, saying it was difficult to believe Hwang intended to deceive donors to get funding.

Hwang, who with his Seoul National University team of scientists created the first known cloned dog, Snuppy, in 2005, has focused on cloning canines since being fired by the university and stripped of the right to conduct stem cell research.

Hwang still has a loyal following, with dozens of supporters rallying outside the court Monday and chanting "We trust Dr. Hwang."

"This is a dire matter for us," said Choi Bu-am, a polio victim who is a vice president of the Korea Culture Association for the Disabled. "We want the government to allow Hwang to resume his stem cell research."

___

Associated Press writer Yewon Kang contributed to this report.

Comments

[Mysticalsister]

05:01 PM on 10/26/2009

this guy just can't help himself. will somebody please just give him his own island.

(can a reality show or made-for-TV movie be far behind?)

[abdik8]

03:53 PM on 10/26/2009

You mean scientists fake things? Don't let the global wamring deniers see this.

[saber75]

04:09 PM on 10/26/2009

The creationists of climate change think that there are 10,000 Hwang Woo-suks in climate research, all of them actively committing fraud to fool 6.5 billion some people, all 10,000 of them involved in some massive conspiracy to bring down rich nations.

[abdik8]

03:52 PM on 10/26/2009

When I saw the picture and headline, at first I thought somebody cloned that guy on Fantasy Island you yelled "da plane, da plane".

[MajorKong]

03:44 PM on 10/26/2009

They won't laugh when I unleash my unstoppable army of Scarlett Johansson clones loose upon the world!

[CessnaDriver]

05:20 PM on 10/26/2009

How did you get the DNA sample?

[ALLJOY]

03:22 PM on 10/26/2009

Everything created for good can also be used for evil and destruction....as in this case. There are serious freaks among us who's only motivation is greed with no thought to help humankind.

[ymg99]

03:20 PM on 10/26/2009

I work with stem cells, and am shocked that he received two years jail time. He faked the SCNT hES data, but also created the first parthenogenic human stem cell line and was the first to clone man's best friend (Snuffy the dog). To put him in jail, a brilliant scientist regardless of this major transgression, is just shocking.

[bccmeteorites]

04:17 PM on 10/26/2009

We have to have punitive system in place to deter such conduct. This is very serious misconduct. He's lucky he's not from China or an Islamic country where the penalties would have been as severe as beheading, loss of limb or life.

Give them time. Soon they will catch up with the U.S. and such conduct will be handsomely rewarded instead of punished.

[lunchtimereader]

03:17 PM on 10/26/2009

This "scientist" and "scholar" is a disgrace. All he is is a a con artist.

I am sure Koreans must really be proud of him now.

[bccmeteorites]

04:11 PM on 10/26/2009

Let us not forget Gerald Schatten's role from the University of Pittsburg who was a co-investigator on Hwang's work. In fact the Koreans accuse him of being a major player but the UoP attempts to downplay his role to extricate the University from a scandalous incident.

A senior researcher on Hwang's disbanded cloning team has accused Schatten of playing a lead role in the fabrication of the stem cell paper. Korean investigators report that the scientist, Kang Sung-Keun, claims that Schatten knew about a crucial cell contamination incident before the appearance of the Science article.

Earlier this month, a University of Pittsburgh panel that investigated Schatten's role in the scandal released a report [PDF] that revealed damning details about his complicity, yet concluded that he was not guilty of scientific misconduct. Instead, the report said, Schatten had committed "research misbehavior"-a newly created category that allowed the university to issue a press release proclaiming his innocence.

Yes he is guilty of scientific misconduct and fraud as well. University of Pittsburg may not agree but it is a fact and he got away by information laundering.

[bccmeteorites]

05:01 PM on 10/26/2009

PART II

The investigative panel at University of Pittsburgh was composed of six members, none of whose identities have been released. In the public summary of their report, they acknowledge that "several" of them had collaborated with Schatten on research projects and grants. But, they write, they assured each other in the course of a "frank discussion" that these "natural professional contacts" would not bias them in any way.

According to the report, Schatten "shirked his responsibility" as senior author in ways that "facilitated the publication of falsified experiments." He failed to look into reports of technical problems in Hwang's lab that should have alerted him to the data fabrications. Though the report does not say so, he must have been aware as well of widely reported suspicions that Hwang had procured eggs in unacceptable ways.

Then, immediately following a 2005 press conference in which the former colleagues touted the supposed cloning breakthrough, Schatten accepted $10,000 in cash from Hwang. He had previously received $30,000 from Hwang, and had asked for another $200,000, which he clearly expected to be forthcoming.

The report does not connect the dots, but the picture it draws is consistent with at least a dishonorable arrangement, and perhaps an outright bribe. Schatten received direct payments, a share of the fame, and a crack at lucrative patents. In exchange, he provided Hwang with the credibility he needed in scientific circles outside South Korea, and turned a blind eye to unethical conduct and cooked results.