The Dr. Hwang scandal caused a great deal of concern and debate in Korean
society. In response, the Korean bioethics law passed in January 2004 and was
promulgated in January 2005. It has since received intense criticism and has
gone through four partial modifications. This paper analyzes the problems of
the Korean bioethics law regarding the donation of and research on human
eggs. The bioethics law allows couples to have a child using the reproductive
cells of another woman. It also allows cloning and other manipulations of
human embryos. These allowances raise many ethical problems that need
immediate attention and correction. In response to this situation, this paper
asserts that institutional measures should be put in place to prevent criminal
activities, and any law on bioethics must put the value and dignity of human
beings at the center and regulate scientific activities in service of human
beings.