Hwang Woo-suk's 'Grand Prize in Science and Technology' revoked after 22 years

South Korea's government has officially revoked the "Grand Prize in Science and Technology" awarded to former Seoul National University professor Hwang Woo-suk, 22 years after he initially received the prestigious presidential award. The decision, ratified by President Lee Jae-myung, addresses the controversy surrounding Hwang's groundbreaking stem cell research, which was later exposed as fraudulent.

Hwang was honored in 2004 with the Grand Prize and a 300 million won ($220,000 USD) cash prize for his work on human embryonic stem cells. However, his academic career imploded in 2006 when an investigation revealed his research data was fabricated. This led to his dismissal from Seoul National University and the retraction of his "Top Scientist" status and a science medal by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The revocation of the Grand Prize faced significant delays, spanning over a decade, primarily due to a lack of clear regulations governing such actions. When a revocation order was finally pursued in 2020, Hwang filed an administrative lawsuit, arguing the decision was unlawful. A court later ruled in his favor, citing procedural flaws, which further postponed the final outcome until now.