Science innovation chief under fire for Hwang Woo-suk connection

The newly appointed chief of the country’s top science and technology office is coming under increasing fire from scientific and political circles.

On Monday, President Moon Jae-in appointed Soonchunhyang University professor Park Ky-young as the new vice-minister level chief of the Science, Technology and Innovation Office within the Ministry of Science and ICT.

While Cheong Wa Dae assessed Park as being the right choice to prepare the country for the “fourth industrial revolution” and for leading the reform and innovation of the field, critics say she is unfit for office citing her connection to the disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk. Hwang, a former professor of Seoul National University and a leading animal cloning expert, fell into disgrace in 2005 when it was revealed that he had manipulated data to claim that he had successfully cloned human embryonic stem cells. 

While serving as a science advisor to former President Roh Moo-hyun for two years starting 2004, she is said to have wielded significant influence on the Roh administration’s science policies and highly praised Hwang to Roh.

Park stepped down from her position in January 2006 for her part in failing to detect irregularities in Hwang’s research.

The plant molecular biologist was also included in Hwang’s research paper as a coauthor without taking part in the research. It was also later revealed that she received 250 million won ($222,000) research funding from Hwang for two projects with little relevance to her field of expertise.

Citing Park’s connection to Hwang, the Korean Union of Public Sector Research and Professional Workers on Tuesday issued a statement calling on the president to revoke Park’s appointment.

“A person who is a subject of reform has been appointed to the principal agent of reform,” the union said in the statement titled “obituary of Korea’s science and technology.”

The statement goes on to claim that Park’s appointment is “an insult to Korea’s science and technology community” and that it is tantamount to ending efforts to reform the sector.

Saying that Park played a central role in Hwang’s research manipulation, and that she “blocked the eyes and ears of President Roh Moo-hyun,” the union accused the new science officer of “grievous violations of research ethics.”

The minor leftwing Justice Party also raised concerns saying that Park’s appointment may pose a risk to the country’s science policies. The party also raised the possibility that Park was appointed due to her connection to the Roh administration.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)