• Health Policy and Management
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.97-121
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• 2004

Recently, human embryonic stem cell research raises exciting public expectation on medical possibilities as well as ethical debate. Embryo management has become an integral part of the management of infertility treatment, researches on embryo and human embryonic stem cells and so on. Britain has permitted the research on stem cells derived from human embryo which made the first nation to allow the cloning of human embryo for the stem cell research. However, new technologies such as the assisted reproductive technologies and human embryonic stem cell research continue to pose an increasing source of ethical dilemmas for physician, scientists, legislators, religious authorities and the general publics to deal with. None the less, the United Kingdom has adopted the most liberal policies regarding human embryo and human embryonic stem cell research. The implication of the British embryo management system are as follows: 1) the development of reproductive technologies and new stem cell research technologies continue to pose legal and ethical debates, since those involve several parties; 2) the UK has taken the legal and institutional approaches to cope with those serious issues; 3) the UK adopted most liberal policies regarding embryonic and human embryonic stem cell researches; 4) the British HFE Act is consistent with the existing Acts related to human embryo management and researches; 5) through amending the HFE Act to accomodate the changes of technologies, the UK try to minimize the legal and ethical burden on undertaking research regarding embryo. The debates about the researches on human embryo and human embryonic stem cells is likely to continue in the Korean society. Because of the controversy and competing ethical values, as well as the evolving technologies, so far no consensus exists in our society. It suggest that it is premature to bring closure by ruling out any particular approaches. Thus our society needs to make an efforts to find a basis which could resolve the societal controversies through enriching the societal conversation about the profound ethical issues regarding embryo management.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.5 no.2 s.10
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• pp.23-47
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• 2005

This study explores the way of prescribing the ethic of science in korean society in the 2004 ethical debates about 'Hwang woo-suk' embryo stem-cell study. It is the process of ethical communication. The debate includes very sensitive problem such as ovum and embryo, which is related directly with life. Particularly, this issue has many implications as there was a wild enthusiasm of patriotism in Korean society after had published Prof. Hwang's paper. This case shows dramatically the formation of ethical attitude in our society. There were included many actor's desire, interest, and conflicts. This study analyzes the process of competition to seize the initiative of the definition of ethics. It includes patriotic discourse, competition of rhetorics. This ethical communication involves the making of 'star scientist', Hwang woo-suk. In consequence, the ethics has been marginalized and stigmatized as anti-science on the stage of star scientist. This study argues ethics is not a fixed thing, it is construction of competition.