Disgraced South Korean cloning scientist testifies to 'mistake'

A South Korean cloning scientist charged with fraud and embezzlement regarding faking stem cell research went on trial Tuesday.

Hwang Woo-suk claimed to produce patient-specific stem cells from a cloned human embryo, but investigators concluded the data was fabricated.

The claims raised hopes of treating people with diseases such as Alzheimer's without having the cells rejected.

Hwang denied faking data published in 2004 describing stem cells extracted from 30 cloned human embryos.

"I was not involved in the process, I just received results," Hwang said on the stand Tuesday. "I fully trusted [my colleagues] without doubts, but it was clearly my mistake to approve the results."

One researcher said people working under Hwang could not question him even if they spotted problems.

"I was in a position where I could not disobey what Dr. Hwang said," Yoon Hyun-soo testified.

South Korea felt great sense of loss

Hwang, 52, is charged with falsely acceptingand embezzlingthe equivalent of $3.3 millionin state funds and private donations.

It's suspected he used part of the funds to buy human eggs, which is against a bioethics law that came into effect in South Korea in 2005.

The scandal was "a fraud case unmatched in history for the whole Korean people and the whole world," the prosecution said in its opening statement.

"The people, as high as their expectations were, felt a great sense of loss and mental anguish."

Hwang was hailed as a cloning pioneer, and supporters made up much of the audience in the courtroom.

If convicted, Hwang faces at least three years in prison.

Five of his colleagues arefacing similar charges.