"Human cloning is not only ethically outrageous and medically dangerous, but technically impossible as well," said Hwang, who last year created the world's first cloned human embryonic stem cells.

"Cloned human beings are merely a science fiction fantasy. I can assure you that on this globe, you'll never bump into a cloned human being at least within 100 years."

Hwang and his colleagues at Seoul National University made international headlines in February 2004, when they announced the first cloning of human embryos, from which they harvested embryonic stem cells.

Hwang today said he was dedicated to the pursuit of scientific research in a field that could provide huge health benefits despite raising ethical questions.

"I believe I'm doing what I should do as a scientist," Hwang said, declining to enter into a debate on concerns raised by pro-life activists and religious groups about the destruction of human embryos in embryonic research.

US President George W Bush has threatened to veto any legislation that eases restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research in the United States.

"I would hold myself responsible if these attacks against this research continue in 10 years' time," Hwang said.

He said that ethical and religious concerns would be outweighed by the medical benefits obtained from the research.

The Seoul government is supporting Hwang's research, and the professor revealed that authorities had endorsed a plan to set up a global stem cell research centre in South Korea following an offer of participation from US and British scientists.

"We hope to open this world stem cell research centre sometime this year," Hwang said.

"This will serve as the heart of global efforts to develop replacement medicine for the 21st century."

Hwang and his team followed up the first cloning of human embryos in 2004 by announcing in May that they had developed the first lines of patient-specific embryonic stem cells, designed to give a precise DNA match for their patients.

All rights reserved. � 2004 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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