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Seoul National University has relieved two collaborators of the disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk of their duties after they were indicted for misappropriation of research funds. Lee Byung-chun and Kang Sung-keun of the university¡¯s Veterinary College were already suspended for their role in faking Hwang¡¯s stem cell research and face additional disciplinary measures. The two cannot lecture or carry out research and are banned from receiving research grants but maintain their titles of associate and assistant professor.
The university said Friday it relieved Lee and Kang of their duties as of the day before. The two were indicted last month on charges of misappropriating funds of W296 million (US $296,000) and W112 million respectively.
¡°Lee and Kang will submit their report on the issue by next week. After that, President Chung Un-chan will decide whether to refer the two to the university disciplinary committee,¡± an SNU official said. The university says both are likely to be referred to the committee since detailed investigation results from prosecutors are already available.
The SNU president reportedly hopes to see disciplinary measures against the two wrapped up before his tenure expires on July 19 in view of the inconvenience it would otherwise cause his successor.
SNU earlier relieved an engineering professor with an otherwise unblemished record of his duties and then fired him for misappropriating some W100 million research funds, making it highly likely that the pair will also lose their posts.
That would more or less empty SNU¡¯s Veterinary College of Hwang¡¯s research team. Hwang himself has already been fired. The college is proceeding with its own disciplinary procedures against Kwon Dae-ki, a researcher who led the team studying human stem cells under Hwang and will make a decision this month.
The college is clearly embarrassed. One college official declined to comment on Friday, adding, ¡°Everyone else will come up with the same response.¡±
Meanwhile, Hwang Woo-suk in a recent private meeting expressed his hope to resume his stem cell research by creating a research foundation in Seoul. Lee and Kang have been incommunicado, so it is not known if they would join Hwang¡¯s team.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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