By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
The government rejected Friday the request of disgraced cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk to resume human stem cell research in Korea, denying the former Seoul National University professor’s bid to reenter the field.
``We’ve decided to reject the request by the research lab to begin studies on human embryonic stem cells for medical treatment,’’ the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said in a statement. ``Hwang is still under trial on charges of bioethical violations and fraud. He also used unethical means to gain eggs for his stem cell research.’’
Becoming a national embarrassment after admitting fraud in 2006, Hwang is also charged with embezzlement of research funds. His research seeks to treat chronic diseases such as heart failure and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases through stem cells.
Led by the country’s largest Buddhist order Jogye, Buddhist groups have held rallies to pressure the government to approve his return. The rejection is expected to invite a fresh round of protests from Buddhist groups, who have denounced the Lee administration for what they call the Christian president’s discriminative polices against Buddhists. Hwang is a Buddhist.
His supporters protested the decision in front of the health ministry Friday, with some shedding tears. Bio-engineers, however, applauded his continued ban. Buddhist monks earlier urged the government in a resolution to allow the scientist to resume his research.
The exposure of his fraud led to Hwang’s dismissal by Seoul National University, where he conducted his research.
A team at the Suam Biotechnology Institute, a lab which Hwang opened two years ago, requested from the ministry in December last year approval to open a new project on embryonic stem cells.
The ministry said it respects the opinion of the National Bioethics Committee, a presidential panel, which had recommended a rejection of Hwang's domestic re-entry into stem cell research.
The ministry had delayed its decision on the request in April.
Hwang and his team have continued their research on animal cloning. He recently announced that he made three genetically identical copies of a dog that had died years before.