SKorea mulling research request for disgraced cloning expert

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

SEOUL (AFP) — South Korea will decide this week whether to let disgraced cloning expert Hwang Woo-Suk resume human stem cell research, officials said Monday.

Hwang's claims that he created the first human stem cells through cloning were ruled to be bogus and he is banned from research using human eggs.

But the scientist is now engaged in animal cloning at the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, which in December asked for the green light to begin a new embryonic stem cell research project using aborted human eggs.

"We will make a decision on the request this week, probably on Saturday, after taking various factors into consideration," a health ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Hwang is on trial for fraud and other charges and was...