“You can’t give it back 300 million” Controversy over the return of Hwang Woo-seok’s prize money

Hwang Woo-seok, former Seoul National University professor. [중앙포토]

The dispute between the government and former Seoul National University professor Hwang Woo-seok was eventually covered up in court.

Prof. Hwang Jeon won the presidential award of the’Korea’s Best Scientist Award’ in 2004, but the award was eventually canceled due to the discovery of manipulating thesis. Hwang Jeon has refused the government’s request for the return of the prize money of 300 million won.

According to the science and technology community and the legal community on the 16th, the government filed a’lawsuit for a refund claim’ against Professor Hwang Jeon at the Seoul Administrative Court on the 11th. The small price is 300 million won.

In 2004, when he was at Seoul National University, Professor Hwang published the world’s first research results obtained by culturing and extracting human embryonic stem cells in the international journal’Science’. In recognition of such research contributions, the government awarded Professor Hwang Jeon the presidential prize of’Korea’s Best Science and Technology Award’ and a prize money of 300 million won.

However, after the thesis manipulation was revealed, Professor Hwang was dismissed from Seoul National University the following year, and the Ministry of Science and ICT withdrew his position as the No. 1 Chief Scientist in 2006.

The’Korea’s Best Science and Technology Impression’, which was not canceled at the time due to lack of relevant regulations, was canceled in October last year. The Ministry of Science and ICT asked for the return of the prize money of 300 million won.

An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT said, “We have filed a lawsuit in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations because we did not return (the prize money) and despite re-announcement, the return did not continue.”

Reporter Go Seok-hyun ko.sukhyun@joongang.co.kr