[Editorial] Time For Hwang To Speak

The questions about the veracity of the Science article by professor Hwang Woo Suk and his team or researchers have been answered. Seoul National University's (SNU) inquiry commission announced Thursday that it has concluded that researchers were unable to find any of the stem cells described in the article, and that they also been unable to find data proving that ever existed at all. Instead of just having been sexed up and exaggerated, the article was a complete piece of fiction. Hwang himself may feel something is unfair about the process but such are the rules scientists operate by, because scientific articles are not where you make one-sided assertions.

From a scientific point of view the controversy over whether there were ever any patient-specific stem cells is over, and arguing it one way or another would be meaningless. There will soon be clarification of truth behind whether Hwang's researchers created the stem cells they claim they made in 2004 as well, so everyone should keep from making hasty guesses or accusations. People involved in scientific research now need to stop making conjectural statements and the media need to refrain from the irresponsible live blow-by-blow descriptions of every slight turn of events.

However, there one aspect of the whole case that the inquiry will be unable to resolve on its own, namely the question of whether there ever were patient-specific stem cells and if someone really did secretly switch them. They say that scientists who falsify research findings keep on claiming that their work is genuine, but we hope that Hwang, at least, does not follow that precedent. The case must not end up forever being the "mystery of whether or not someone played slight-of-hand with the stem cells" with Hwang claiming the research was right but that he doesn't know what someone did with the evidence. That is what could end up being the biggest tragedy in Korean scientific history.

Therefore Hwang needs to tell truth about everything and demonstrate that he accepts responsibility. Whatever issues there may be with the others involved, he was the man in charge. If he doesn't know what happened to the evidence, that, too, is his responsibility. He must not lay all the blame with researchers like Kim Seon Jong. Now is his last chance to apologize for making a fool out of the whole country.

The Hankyoreh, 30 December 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]