“What a Mess of Things”

For the first time in the world, Korean scientists have succeeded in extracting stem cells from a cloned human embryo. However, a media agency has caused a stir by breaking an international media release embargo and hastily reporting the news.

On February 12, the research team of Veterinary Professor Hwang Woo-suk and Medical Professor Moon Shin-Young, who succeeded in the research, held a press meeting at the clinical research room of the Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul and commented. “A Korean media agency has not kept the embargo time and released the news this morning, greatly damaging the dignity of the Korean science community in the eyes of the world.”

Four colleagues, including Professor Hwang Yoon-young in obstetrics at Hanyang University, attended the press conference this day, on behalf of Professor Hwang and Professor Moon who have left for Seattle, U.S.A. for the official announcement.

According to the research team, the stunning achievements were to be published in “Science,” the United States’ prestigious science magazine. Accordingly, the release embargo was set at 4 a.m., February 13 (Korean time) by “Science” and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), but Joongang Ilbo released the news on February 12.

Mentioning Joongang Ilbo and the reporter’s name, AAAS announced its official stance on February 12, saying, “It is regretful that the release embargo was not kept by Korea.”

The New York Times, the U.S.’ influential daily, also printed the research results and pointed out that “The embargo time was not kept because of Korea’s media climate.”

The papers to be published in “Science” are usually distributed to AAAS-registered reporters worldwide three days before release.

In a phone interview with Donga Ilbo, Professor Hwang commented, “I am very busy apologizing to the U.S. research team and the ‘Science’ editors for the embargo breach. The paper will be published as scheduled, but there are difficulties regarding the special press conference and lecture that were planned.”

“It is a great feat for science that stem cells were extracted from a human ovum,” read a statement released by the Korea Science Reporters’ Association (Chairman Lee Chan-hwie). “To have a specific reporter from a specific newspaper agency to report the news first to clinch an exclusive is a result of the company’s self-centeredness with no regard to national interests,” it criticized.

Seoul National University, Hanyang University, Mizmedi Hospital of Korea and U.S. scientists had worked together on this research. Its results are all the more noteworthy because it suggests a groundbreaking solution in treating incurable diseases, and thus its publication was planned to be followed by a special press conference and lecture.

The research team is the first to succeed in extracting stem cells from a cloned embryo made by transplanting a body cell nucleus into an ovum and nurturing it into a blastocyst.

“Science” editor-in-chief Donald Kennedy held the research in high esteem, stating that “This research will bring hope to numerous patients suffering from degenerative diseases.”

wolfkim@donga.com puset@donga.com