Search results for

South Korean scientists who authored a landmark paper on how to derive stem cell lines from individuals have been embroiled in an ethics scandal over how some of the work was conducted. Tuesday, a U.S. co-author of the paper has called into question the paper's scientific accuracy.

The Yoido Full Gospel Church has 800,000 members throughout South Korea and other countries. It claims to be the biggest church in the world. On Sundays, there are services every two hours -- each attended by about 12,000 -- in the church's vast halls in downtown Seoul.

South Korean scientists announced Wednesday they have created the first cloned dog. Snuppy, an Afghan hound, was born in April. The cloning technique used is not efficient. It took nearly 2,000 eggs to make some 1,000 embryos -- all of which produced just one healthy puppy.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il indicates that his country could return to international disarmament negotiations in July. Kim said as much in his first meeting with a top South Korean official in more than three years.

South Korean scientists report a major advance in the production of stem cells for medical research. Scientists say they have discovered a more efficient method for making new cells. In the United States, embryonic stem cells are at the center of a political and ethical debate.

As U.S. officials announce they've held secret talks with North Korean officials, the world continues to work toward defusing the North Korean nuclear threat. But China shows few signs of stepping up economic sanctions on Pyongyang, fearing sanctions could send a wave of refugees across its border.

South Korean researchers say they've made a significant advance in the production of human embryonic stem cells. They can now use far fewer human eggs to produce usable stem cells — a major step toward mass production. Researchers hope these cells could eventually be used to treat a wide variety of diseases.

As China opens up its markets to foreign goods, it's starting to have increasingly more in common with South Korea than its supposed brother in the North. And as NPR's Rob Gifford reports, South Koreans are eager to trade with China. But some worry that South Korea's economic infatuation with its neighbor is blinding it to the possible dangers of an emergent China.

News that South Korean scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo renews a debate over human cloning. On one side are scientists and patients who argue that cloning offers a way to produce healthy cells to treat diseases like diabetes and Parkinson's disease. On the other side are critics who insist that any form of cloning is morally repugnant. NPR's Joe Palca reports.

North and South Korean officials meet in Seoul for talks on economic cooperation, but discussions are overshadowed by concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, U.S. envoy John Bolton says he expects the U.N. to begin discussions on the standoff by week's end. NPR's Eric Weiner reports.