The panel said DNA analysis proved a 2005 claim made by the team of producing
the world's first cloned dog, an Afghan hound named Snuppy, which is short for
Seoul National University puppy.
In a finding likely to be seized on by Hwang supporters, the panel said the
team had created a few human blastocysts, or early embryos, and that implied
that "the team was in possession of a technique of creating cloned human
blastocyst."
"This reminds us that science is a human endeavour," said David Winickoff, a
bioethics assistant professor at the University of California at Berkeley. "And
as such, it is subject to ethical lapses and dishonesty."
Prosecutors have said they may start a criminal probe into Hwang on suspicion
of misusing state funds based on the findings in the panel's report.
The report did not publicise any findings on who may have been responsible
for the fabrication. Chung said he would that to investigative authorities,
referring to prosecutors.
Park Ky-young, science adviser to President Roh Moo-hyun, expressed her
intention to resign after the report was released, a presidential spokesman
said. Park was also a co-author of the 2004 paper from Hwang's team.
The spokesman described the panel's findings as regrettable. Roh opened a
global stemcell centre associated with Hwang in Seoul last October.
Science has already said it will retract the May 2005 paper on embryonic stem
cells. It said it had asked the panel for its final report and was asking the
authors of the papers to answer technical questions.
The panel also said Hwang's team procured more human egg cells than they had
reported.
It said junior researchers in Hwang's laboratory had donated eggs, and in one
instance of egg procurement, "Professor Hwang accompanied the student to the
hospital himself."