The Spate of Bogus Research Papers from Korean Scientists
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NEWS AND COMMENT The Spate of Bogus Research Papers from Korean Scientists FRANK REISER Fame came rapidly to Kim Tae-Kook (sometimes written as Tae-Kook Kim) after he claimed to have discovered a molecule, named CGK733, capable of genetically reprogramming a cell’s lifes- pan. For this breakthrough in anti-aging research, published in Nature Chemical Biology in 2006, he was heralded by the press as Korea’s rising intellectual star. When Kim was interviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP), he boast- fully proclaimed, “For the first time in the world, our team has discovered the substance that could slow the ageing [sic] of human cells and at the same time cause a reverse reaction.” “Kim Tae-Kook is the Korean candi- date most likely to win the Nobel Prize!” proclaimed Suh Nam Pyo, president of the state-run Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), where Kim and his team carried out their research. South Korea’s then-pres- ident, Roh Moo-Hyun, invited Kim to the Blue House—Korea’s presidential Professor Kim Tae-Kook. Photo credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images offices—to honor his accomplishment for Korea. Eureka moments in biology are rare. Teasing demonstrable facts from the complexity of life can be an arduous process of reworking, testing, and finally expanding the principles previously dis- covered by others. Isaac Newton mod- estly phrased the process in a letter to Robert Hook: “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoul- ders of giants.” It was the same with Kim, whose anti-aging discoveries were only made possible by using a scientific advancement published in Science a year earlier. The earlier paper detailed a technique for moving molecules inside a living cell by using protein-coated magnetic nanoparticles. Kim Tae-Kook, Science magazine published this forthright “Editorial Expression of Concern” about the Kim Tae- Kook Science paper (Won et al. 2005) in its March 7, 2008, issue. This alert that “serious questions the paper’s lead author, christened have been raised about the validity of findings” in the paper is signed by Editor Emeritus Donald this process with the catchy acronym, Kennedy and Editor-in-Chief Bruce Alberts. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July / August 2008 5 NEWS AND COMMENT MAGIC (MAGnetism-based Inter- Hwang’s televised apology for having 13, 2007, showing a sharp drop in action Capture). Using MAGIC, Kim embarrassed Korea was followed by an the number of Korean-authored arti- then discovered the anti-aging molecule outpouring of sympathy from fellow cles published in prestigious interna- CGK733, which he named after his nationals. Hundreds of women left flow- tional science journals. The Ministry own biotechnology venture company, ers at his lab and offered their ova for use expressed the concern that because of CGK. For Kim, the giant upon whose in Hwang’s future research projects. To the recent spate of bogus publications, shoulders he stood to see further hap- date, 756 women have pledged an ovum “Korea was becoming a scientific pariah,” pened to be his own. to Hwang. going on to describe Korea’s plagiarism Early in 2008, Yi Yong-Weon, a PhD Still another problem with a paper by and fabrication-of-data problem as “deep student in Kim’s lab and co-author of a Korean scientist came early this year. rooted” and printing a booklet on eth- both papers, reported to KAIST admin- “Mitochondria, the Missing Link between ics in research, which it distributed to istrators that during Kim’s absence from Body and Soul: Proteomic Prospective Korean colleges and laboratories. The the lab he could not replicate the results Evidence” is not a made-up title. Ministry’s conclusion was underscored claimed in either of the papers. KAIST’s by the high-profile resignation of the president confronted Kim with the alle- president of Korea University for hav- gation that his results were irreproducible ing published six plagiarized research and asked him to produce his research papers and then republishing the same notes. Kim said he could not do that and Eureka moments in papers under different titles. He also soon admitted to fabricating the data. biology are rare. Teasing was accused of copying parts of foreign This was not the first time Science textbooks into three of his own books, had to withdraw papers authored by demonstrable facts from to which he replied, “Foreign textbooks re searchers from Korean institutions. In are as good as public property” (see 2006, the journal had to retract a paper the complexity of life can english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new/ it had published after the senior author, be an arduous process of 200612/200612270033.html). Hwang Woo-Suk, admitted to fraud Although Kim, Jin, and Hwang were and data fabrication. Hwang, a biomed- reworking, testing, and Korean educated, because they earned ical researcher at Seoul National Uni- finally expanding the their PhDs at prestigious universities in versity, made headlines internationally the United States, their scientific indis- with his claims of having cloned several principles previously cretions cannot be attributed to academic human stem cell lines using enucle- discovered by others. inbreeding. What, therefore, can be the ated human ova and nuclei taken from cause of this spate of unethical scientific epithelial cells. While in the spotlight behavior? of the press, Hwang magnanimously Richard Dawkins, in his article offered to freely share his techniques “Viruses of the Mind” (Free Inquiry, with Western researchers. Shortly after Summer 1993), explains the incredible that, Seoul National formed a committee Author ed by Jin Han and Mohamad vulnerability of young minds to “infec- to investigate the veracity of Hwang’s Warda, the paper was published in the tion” by cultural information packets, claims, questioning the legitimacy of January 2008 issue of Proteomics, a termed “memes.” By definition, memes the cell lines; they compared the DNA Wiley-VCH online peer-reviewed jour- are paradigms uncritically accepted as of the cloned cell lines with that of the nal. Quickly withdrawn after a storm “truth,” which are then amalgamated donor ova, proving Hwang’s claims to of protesting emails befell the jour- into a person’s developing personality. be untrue. nal’s editor, the paper was found to Once installed, they act like a computer A national hero, Hwang’s fall from be inconsistent in its logic, with sec- virus, contaminating the “infected” grace was as spectacular as his ascendancy tions plagiarized from other works. individual’s clarity of reason through- had been. He was relieved of his univer- Not surprisingly, the paper be came an out adulthood. If the meme concept sity position, and the Korean government instant hit on a few evangelical Web is accepted, it may partly explain why stopped issuing the Hwang commemora- sites (such as academicfreedomblog. some highly educated scientists’ faith tive postage stamp. Hwang wasn’t even org/2008/02/08/another-dar- in their own hypotheses could be so unshakable that they would guiltlessly allowed to keep his one success, Snuppy, win-doubter-criminalized/) that pro- cook the data to make it match their the world’s first cloned dog. Snuppy claimed the paper had been censored conclusions. Korea’s Ministry of Science was tested and found authentic, but he for its anti-Darwinian conclusions. might better meet its goal of elevating belonged to the laboratory in which he Korea’s Ministry of Science published research ethics by investigating Korea’s was created at Seoul National University. a graph in the Korea Times on June early childhood education than by dis- 6 Volume 32, Issue 4 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT Controversy Erupts Over Errors, Bias in Textbook Examined by CFI In 2006, New Jersey public high school tified by Wilson as a Democrat, is the junior Matthew LaClair made headlines former director of faith-based initiatives after secretly tape-recording the uncon- for the Bush administration and a pro- stitutional religious messages his history fessor at the University of Pennsylvania. teacher aimed at students. Now a senior, In addition to the book’s false claim that LaClair finds himself making news for prayer in any form is banned in schools, a exposing misinformation in a nationally photograph of praying students was cap- distributed textbook. tioned, “The Supreme Court will not let In the book, American Govern- this happen inside a public school.” In fact, ment: Institutions and Policies, tenth students may pray alone or in groups at any edition (Houghton Mifflin Company, time they like, as long as they don’t disrupt 2006), LaClair found several inaccurate the learning environment. What’s uncon- and misleading statements as well as stitutional is com pulsory or teacher-led editorializing, inaccuracies about con- prayer. The book disingenuously portrayed stitutional law, and attempts to sway the faith community as public-school mar- students to side with the minority of tyrs, a known tactic used by the Religious scientists who dismiss global warming. Right to perpetuate un warranted feelings LaClair contacted the Center for of victimhood and influence policy mak- Inquiry, and its legal experts analyzed ers. Ronald A. Lindsay, CFI’s general legal the college-level textbook and released a coun sel and co-author of the report, noted critical, twenty-five-page report on April that the error “betrays either a serious mis- 6 detailing “egregious errors.” Among understanding of the law or a willingness Matthew LaClair the mistakes in the textbook by profes- to have the textbook serve as a propaganda sors James Wilson and John DiIulio: vehicle for the Religious Right.” Science, National Public Radio, NPR’s Talk inferences that the scientific evidence for The book also labels the scientific of the Nation, The International Herald- global warming is unreliable, the fallacy majority who see evidence of global warm- Tribune (France), and the U.K.