SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean stem cell expert Hwang Woo-suk already delivered his intention to world famous journal Science to withdraw his paper published earlier this year on accomplishment of his stem cell research, reported Hankyoreh, a local newspaper, in its Thursday's website version.

    The report said Roh Sung-il, the administrator of Seoul's MizMedi Hospital, made telephone call to the newspaper earlier in the day, saying Hwang admitted fabricating stem cell research result in the published paper in May by the US-based journal.

    Roh's hospital had provided the human ova for Hwang's stem cellresearch.

    Roh, the co-author of Hwang's stem cell research paper, met Hwang at Seoul National University (SNU) hospital in downtown Seoul Thursday morning, the report said.

    Moreover, Roh also telephoned the local three major TV stations-KBS, MBC and SBS - earlier Thursday.

    "I myself do not know whether Hwang's stem cells actually existed," Roh was quoted as telling SBS.

    "SNU doesn't have to reexamine the veracity of Hwang's stem cell research. It's time for Hwang himself to explain the whole things," SBS quoted Roh as reporting in its news program in Thursday evening.

    Roh also claimed there were "no stem cells" cloned by Hwang's research team.

    "Of the 11 alleged embryonic stem cells described in Hwang's study, nine are fake, with the authenticity of the two others yet to be confirmed," he was quoted as telling KBS.

    In May this year, Hwang's team announced in the paper publishedin Science that it had successfully cloned 11 different stem cellstailored to individual patients, paving the way for future development of therapies for hard-to-cure diseases.

    Earlier this week, the SNU announced it will conduct examination to the authenticity of the stem cell research led by its visiting professor Hwang, who has been in a center of controversy in recent months.

    Recently, local media quoted a former fellow researcher in Hwang 's team as reporting that parts of the pictures of the stem cells published along with the paper were manipulated.

    The former fellow researcher claimed the 11 images of the stem cells were copied and manipulated from two stem cells.

    The new development of the controversy over Hwang's stem cell research came 20 days after Hwang admitted he used ova donated by his two female junior researchers in his research in 2003.

    The action is widely viewed not comply to international ethicalstandard in bio-medical research. Enditem