Stem Cells

Stem cells are a big issue here in Korea, with Dr. Hwang Woo Suk's "therapuetic" cloning of human embryos a few months back. Today, the utra-leftist Hankyoreh newspaper took the ethical high road on the issue.

From [Editorial] Adult Stem Cells Need More Attention:

"The production of stem cells using embryos carries ethical problems, however, in that it uses embryos that would grow to be human beings, and in addition much work remains until it becomes applicable. The use of umbilical cord blood creates no ethical problems, however, and research has progressed a great deal already. Indeed, adult stem cells are already used to produce blood vessels, bones, and nerves, and to treat myocardial infarction. Adult stem cells do have their limits for being aged compared to embryo stem cells, but it seems clear that it would be worth pursuing the research further."

It bears repeating that the Church is not opposed to stem cell research, only embryonic stem cell research.