Politics · South Korea · 12 hrs ago
Hwang Woo-suk loses South Korean citizenship after acquiring UAE nationality
Hwang Woo-suk has lost his South Korean citizenship after acquiring United Arab Emirates nationality on April 9.
His name appeared on a Justice Ministry notice published in August, and officials said the listed details match his age and hometown.
South Korean law automatically ends citizenship when a citizen voluntarily takes another nationality.
Hwang is a former Seoul National University professor whose claim to have created the first cloned human embryo was discredited after researchers found forged data in his 2005 paper.
The scandal ended his academic career and damaged his standing in South Korea, where he had once been celebrated for animal cloning and stem cell research.
He now leads the UAE BIOTECH Research Center, which works on animal cloning, genetic engineering and stem cell research.
Hwang Woo-suk appears to have lost his South Korean citizenship after acquiring United Arab Emirates nationality.
His name was listed in an electronic gazette published by the justice ministry’s immigration office on Aug. 13.
The notice says he obtained his new nationality on April 9.
South Korean law says citizens who voluntarily acquire a foreign nationality automatically lose their citizenship.
Hwang remains a controversial figure in South Korea over a 2005 stem cell research fraud scandal.
- Who
- Hwang Woo-suk, a South Korean scientist who works in the UAE.
- What
- He appears to have lost South Korean citizenship after acquiring UAE nationality.
- When
- He obtained UAE nationality on April 9; his name appeared in a gazette published on Aug. 13.
- Where
- South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
- Why
- South Korean law says citizens who voluntarily acquire a foreign nationality automatically lose their citizenship.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hwang was found to have used forged data in a research paper claiming he had created the world’s first cloned human embryo.
Hwang was dismissed from Seoul National University following the scandal.
Hwang ultimately lost his court challenge to his dismissal.
Hwang obtained UAE nationality, according to the gazette notice.
Hwang’s name appeared on a list of people who lost their citizenship published by the justice ministry’s immigration office.
- New nationality
- United Arab Emirates
- Date of nationality acquisition
- April 9
- Gazette publication
- Aug. 13
- Hwang’s age
- 73
- Former university
- Seoul National University
- Current role
- Chief executive officer of UAE BIOTECH Research Center