The president of Seoul National University has apologised for the Hwang Woo-suk scandal which has seen the stem cell scientist exposed as a fraud, out of a job and today stripped of his title as Korea's first "supreme scientist", Reuters reports.

Chung Un-chan told a press conference: "Hwang's research team did something scientists should never do. This incident left a mark that cannot be erased in Korea and the international science community. For embarrassing the country, as the president of this university, I am deeply to sorry to everyone."

Hwang also stands accused of "coercing" female team members into providing their own eggs for stem cell research, and now faces a possible probe into misuse of state funds - a charge which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' jail, local media says.

Hwang does still have his supporters - a few hundred fans draped in Korean flags and bearing banners reading "Hwang is the pride of Korea" have held a candlelit vigil in downtown Seoul, Reuters notes. The disgraced scientist may hold a press conference tomorrow, and continues to defend his findings.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, fellow stem cell reseachers are downplaying the significance of Hwang's disgrace. Dr Stephern Minger, of Kings College London, told Reuters: "All of us who admired Hwang are deeply saddened by this revelation. However, it is likely to have a minimal effect on stem cell biology per se and work in the field will continue." ®

Related stories

• Stem cell fraudster made 'virgin birth' breakthrough (3 August 2007)
• Korean cloners in new faking investigation (11 April 2007)
• Comment Stem cells from dry cells (6 July 2006)
• Korean stem cell 'fraud' gives emotional testimony (4 July 2006)
• Hwang in the dock (20 June 2006)
• Scientists sideline Bush opposition to stem cell research (7 June 2006)
• US pro-stem cell mission ready for fight (2 June 2006)
• Stem cell 'fraud' scientist faces jail time (12 May 2006)
• The future of medicine: a load of old cobblers (3 April 2006)
• South Korea sacks cloning prof (20 March 2006)
• Hwang Woo-suk accuser questioned (8 February 2006)
• Man torches self in Hwang Woo-suk protest (6 February 2006)
• Tearful Hwang Woo-suk apologises (12 January 2006)
• Koreans did actually clone dog, panel declares (10 January 2006)
• Science cans stem cell paper (5 January 2006)
• Korean stem cell team 'coerced' to provide eggs (4 January 2006)
• Korean stem cell pioneer walks plank (23 December 2005)
• Stem cell pioneer steps down over egg ethics (24 November 2005)
• Stem cell hopefuls swamp Korean research website (1 November 2005)
• South Koreans clone dog (4 August 2005)
• Scientists hail stem cell breakthrough (20 May 2005)