Seoul, South Korea, Jun 12, 2005 / 22:00 pm
South Korea’s leading stem-cell researcher, Hwang Woo-suk, has agreed to meet with the country’s top Catholic leader, after the Church in Korea publicly condemned his research, calling it “life-taking.”
Hwang said Sunday that he was willing to discuss the controversy surrounding his research with Catholic leaders. “If necessary, I will meet them in person and learn from them,” Hwang was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency.
The Diocese of Seoul responded that same day with a press release, indicating that Fr. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk would meet Hwang “to share his thoughts on the issue,” reported the Korea Times.
The scientist, who made international headlines last year by creating the world's first cloned human embryos, is currently in Houston, participating in the Stem Cell Policy and Advocacy Summit. Last month, Hwang announced that his team had produced embryonic stem cells that genetically match injured or sick people.