The Supercloners of South Korea

There is a very interesting piece in the New York Times (free registration required) today that raises some doubt about the widely acknowledged lead South Korea has in the field of human stem cell research.

This comes hot on the heels of the recent cloning scandal over ethics lapses that led to the doctor in charge resigning, and reportedly being hospitalized for extreme stress and fatigue.

For some interesting background on how South Korea rose to such prominence in the cloning and stem cell field, I recommend giving the Slate magazine podcast "The Supercloners of South Korea" a listen. The conversation includes some interesting tidbits about how the explosive growth of Korean Christianity squares with the seemingly amoral approach to this field of research, and the role that metal chopsticks has played in Korea's success.

Listen to the "The Supercloners of South Korea".