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Thursday, January 12, 2006 Posted: 0540 GMT (1340 HKT)
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World Sport SEOUL, South Korea -- Disgraced story.hwang.supporters.ap.jpg
Travel South Korean cloning scientist
Weather Hwang Woo-suk has apologized
Special Reports for publishing fake research on
Video
human stem cells, but said he was
deceived by researchers at
another lab.
CNN Pipeline
What's On In his first public appearance in almost
Business Traveller three weeks, Hwang apologized on
Thursday to the government and people of
Quest
South Korea as well as to those whose Many in South Korea still regard Hwang
Talk Asia hopes for treatment had been raised by the as a hero.
The Scene research.
Services
"I ask for your forgiveness," Hwang told a RELATED
Languages nationally televised press conference in
Seoul. "I feel so miserable that it's difficult
even to say sorry." Interactive:
Understanding stem
cell research
Hwang resigned last December after
colleagues accused him of deliberately
fabricating data in his cloning research. • In S. Korea, 'no' gets a failing
grade
Seoul National University, where Hwang is • 'Long road' for stem cell research
a professor, on Tuesday said in a final • The World Stem Cell Hub
report that Hwang faked claims of cloning
human embryonic stem cells in two
landmark papers.
LIFE-CHANGING TECH
In a 2004 article in the journal Science,
E-mail us: If
Hwang's team said they had cloned the
technology has
first human embryos for research, while in
radically improved
another paper in May 2005 they claimed to
your life, we want to
have produced the first embryonic tailored
hear from you. Click
stem cells.
here to tell your story.

"The use of fake data ... is what I have to

take full responsibility for as first author. I QUICKVOTE
acknowledge all of that and apologize once

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/01/11/skorea.stemcell/index.html 3/2/2006
CNN.com - Cloning scientist: Forgive me - Jan 11, 2006 Page 2 of 3

again," Hwang said.

Has technology changed your life
for the better?
The studies had attracted widespread
attention and enthusiasm from researchers Yes, most developments
and patients around the world. improve my quality of life
Yes, but I would not want to see
Using stem cells, doctors one day hope to too much more change
tailor medicine to individuals, even growing
No, technology has gone too far
replacement organs, in a bid to find cures
for diseases such as Alzheimer's. VOTE or View Results

From hero to disgrace

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Hwang became a folk hero in South Korea
when he claimed to have produced the first South Korea
cloned human embryo and the first cloned
dog.
Research
In its Tuesday report, the investigators said
his claim to have created the world's first Stem-cell research
cloned dog in 2005, Snuppy, was genuine.
ACTIVATE or Create Your
But the 53-year-old Hwang has been under
Own
fire since November for his human cloning
research. He admitted his team used eggs
donated from junior scientists in his lab, a Manage Alerts | What Is This?
practice frowned upon because of coercion
concerns.

His status slid further when colleague Roh Sung-il claimed in December that his
research was false, and called him a fake.

'I was deceived'

While taking responsibility for publishing the phony research, Hwang told reporters on
Thursday he had been deceived by researchers in another lab.

Citing collaborators at Mizmedi Hospital, also in Seoul, Hwang said they should share
the blame.

He insisted he had cloned human embryos, and said researchers at the other hospital
were responsible for deriving embryonic stem cells from them.

But they lied to him about their success in doing so, The Associated Press reported
him as saying.

Hwang claimed he has the technology to create patient-specific stem cells under the
right conditions.

"I think we can create patient-specific stem cells in six months if eggs are sufficiently
provided," he said.

Before the scandal broke out, Hwang was widely admired in South Korea, with
President Roh Moo-hyun opening a World Stem Cell Hub center, in a project seen as
putting the country at the forefront of cloning research.

The government had already given him 25 billion won ($24.7 million), according to AP
reports.

Prosecutors raided his home and offices on Thursday as part of a criminal probe into

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/01/11/skorea.stemcell/index.html 3/2/2006
CNN.com - Cloning scientist: Forgive me - Jan 11, 2006 Page 3 of 3

the alleged misuse of state funds, South Korean media reported.

CNN's Sohn Jie-ae contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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