South Korean prosecutors confirmed Friday that Hwang Woo-suk masterminded the overall process of fabricating studies on stem-cell technology and manipulated cloned human stem cells. (AFP file photo)

    SEOUL, May 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korean prosecutors confirmed Friday that Hwang Woo-suk masterminded the overall process of fabricating studies on stem-cell technology and manipulated cloned human stem cells.

    "Hwang asked his team to fabricate various data, including photos, the number of stem cells created and DNA test results, featured in the 2004 and 2005 papers published in the U.S. journal Science," said Senior Prosecutor Lee In-kyu said at a news conference, which was held after the prosecutors finished a five-month probe into Hwang's scandal, broadcast nationwide.

    Hwang embezzled 2.8 billion won ( 3 million U.S. dollars) worth of state and civilian donations to his research team and purchased human ova from donors in violation of the life ethics law that went into effect in January 2005, said Lee.

    The prosecutor also confirmed that Hwang used part of the money for private purposes and the rest to illegally purchase ova, donate funding to tens of leading politicians and pay executives of large conglomerates that made donations to his research team.

    Hwang asked his assistant researcher Kim Sun-jong to smuggle in-vitro fertilized stem cells into Hwang's lab to make it look like the scientist was successful in creating genuine stem cells, the prosecutors told the conference.

    Hwang will be charged with fraud, embezzlement and breach of South Korea's life ethics law, the prosecutors said. Enditem