http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200602/kt2006020616301311780.htm

Linux, Hwang Woo-suk and Lies Open-Source Approach Works to Find Stem Cell Fabrications

By Kim Tae-gyu Staff Reporter

Shown above is a captured picture of the Web site of the Biological Research Information Center. The site played a pivotal role in finding out stem cell paper fabrications by cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk. Linux, the open-source software, seems to have nothing to do with South Korea’s disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk, at least at a glance.

Yet, a professor points out the fall of Hwang’s once-hailed saga on cloned stem cells does relate to the spirit of Linux -- to improve something using the teamwork of anonymous people.

"Look at the process of how Hwang’s purported medical exploits on stem cells proved to be lies. Then you can taste the spirit of Linux," Prof. Min Kyung-bae at Kyung Hee Cyber University said.

"Just as glitches in Linux continue to be fixed by developers from across the world because its underlying sources are open, Korea’s young scientists collaborated to discredit Hwang," he said.

Indeed, a group of young scientists who casually visited the Web site of the state-backed Biological Research Information Center (BRIC), at bric.postech.ac.kr, played a pivotal role in detecting Hwang’s fakes.

A woman fidgets in her bag before getting off the subway without clearing poop of her pet. After this photo was revealed through the Internet last year, she became the target of nationwide criticism. When the public was leaning toward allowing Hwang to prove the veracity of his team’s stem cell research last December, they changed the tide by pinpointing how Hwang doctored data.

Their findings prompted Seoul National University (SNU), where Hwang worked, to get to the bottom of "Hwanggate," and SNU finally concluded most of Hwang’s purported exploits were hoaxes.

Likewise, Linux, a free and open-source software first developed by Finnish university student Linus Torvals, is the result of numerous people’s efforts.

Unlike such disclosed-source operating systems as Microsoft Windows, the source codes of Linux are available to the public and anyone can freely use, modify and redistribute it.

Programmers upgrade Linux seamlessly to improve it. Such worldwide collaboration empowers Linux, which now poses a genuine threat to the thus-far dominant Microsoft Windows.

"Both cases amply demonstrate that collective intelligence always scores a victory over monopolistic players, such as Microsoft or Hwang," Min said.

"That might not be true in the short run. But over the long haul, I firmly believe the power of conscious folks overwhelms power ruled by a handful of secrecy-obsessed inner circle members," he said.

Linux-Like Culture & Fall of Stem Cell Myth

In Feb. 2004, Hwang dramatically lionized himself by announcing he and his crew had cloned human embryos and extracted stem cells from them in an article in the U.S.-based journal Science.

He strengthened his reputation last May with a highly touted follow-up paper, which was also printed by Science, on tailor-made stem cells.

The 53-year-old claimed that his team had established a total of 11 stem cells of somatic cells of as many patients suffering from incurable diseases or inabilities.

The customized stem cells were expected to open the door to so-called "cell therapy." The cells, when transplanted, are supposed to retain an ability to become any type of cell in the human body.

The off-the-rack cells especially draw attention because they were believed not to trigger immune responses in transplantation since they were cloned from patients themselves.

However, the Hwang’s star fell as abruptly as it rose: the SNU professor was found to have fabricated data for the papers.

Linux Penguin

An investigative panel at SNU concluded that Hwang’s team never created cloned embryonic stem cells, and a police investigation is now underway.

A local TV network, MBC, initially raised suspicions on the veracity of Hwang’s works late last year but the allegation was on the verge of being discarded due to controversies over the broadcaster’s inappropriate way of collecting data regarding Hwang.

MBC was revealed to have threatened some of Hwang's underlings and that drew the ire of many Korean citizens, who lashed out at the TV station and asked them to stop investigating the legitimacy of the stem cell papers.

At the time, the BRIC site surfaced and anonymous writers voluntarily subjected the photos documented in Hwang’s Science papers to microscopic scrutiny.

A pair of frequenters at the site posted a message saying the Science pictures seemed to be fabricated, and others confirmed the suspicion by showing how the they were cooked.

Their allegations were backed with material evidence and gained a broad-based acknowledgement. SNU finally launched probes into the case to eventually uncovered the fakes.

"A number of Korea’s no-name scientists did what even keen-eyed referees at the illustrious Science journal could not do during the review process. It amply demonstrates the powers of collaboration and Korea’s Linux-type Internet culture," Min said.

Negative Aspect of Korean Internet Culture

Although Koreans could detect Hwang’s misconduct through the collective intelligence coupled with its unique Internet culture, some observers say this could be problematic.

"Korea's boisterous Internet culture can end up as cyber terrorism at any time because the country’s awareness of ethics falls short of its technical reputation," Prof. Lee Su-jin at Kookmin University said.

"Let me take an example. See the so-called dog excrement girl who became the target of an Internet witch-hunt due to a really minor reason," she said.

Last year, a woman got off a subway car without cleaning up her pet's poop. Then her photograph was posted on the Web, and netizens relentlessly attacked the girl, turning the event into a kind of nation-wide cyber lynching.

She might not be able to lead a normal life afterwards since some netizens revealed her name, age and school, usually under the veil of anonymity.

The incident, which showed that ordinary citizens as well as public figures can fall victim to cyber attacks, raised alarm flags for many people who have experienced attacks and groundless criticism on the Internet.

"The case reveals the flip side of Korea’s Internet culture. Sometimes it works in the right direction but sometimes it does not. We need to be aware of it," Prof. Lee at Kookmin said.

Prof. Min at Kyung Hee concurs.

"Our Internet culture is kind of a double-edged sword. It can help Korean society to be transparent and scandal-free as shown by the Hwanggate, but it can trigger scandal itself or spawn innocent victims," Min said.