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Some 100 die-hard supporters of the disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk were unbowed by their hero¡¯s indictment for embezzlement and fraud on Friday. The group told reporters in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office they believe the prosecution¡¯s findings to be false and are pinning their hopes on the former professor¡¯s trial.
The leader of a support club called I Love Hwang Woo-suk, Ahn Deok-jin (52), said the trial is likely to disprove the embezzlement charges and vowed to ¡°watch closely¡± what happens and ¡°respond appropriately.¡± Hwang fell into disgrace late last year when it became evident that data in two stem cell research papers published to great fanfare in the journal Science were fabricated. But the supporters say Hwang is being made a scapegoat and wonder what happened to related issues, such as protecting Hwang¡¯s patent, and investigations of Hwang¡¯s collaborators Prof. Moon Shin-yong of Seoul National University and the head of the MizMedi fertility clinic Roh Sung-il.
Hearing of the scientist¡¯s indictment on the radio or via their cell phone, many supporters burst into tears and threw down the pickets they were carrying. They attempted to block prosecutors¡¯ cars and shouted abuse at prosecutors entering the gate with calls of ¡°Traitor¡± and ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to eat.¡±
Police mobilized two companies to deal with possible clashes, but none took place. The supporters plan a candle vigil in front of the building starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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