I apologize to the people for creating an unspeakable shock and disappointment. I step down as professor of Seoul National University.

I apologize for creating this uproar both in and out of Korea. The fact remains that our research team was successful in creating stem cells from patients' skin cells. Still, there were mistakes made, human errors, in taking photographs and in the preservation of the stem cells.

I sincerely apologize to the people for creating a shock and disappointment.

I sincerely apologize to the nation for using erroneous data in the papers.

I sincerely apologize to the nation and the international community for using erroneous data in the papers. I was responsible for going over the data thoroughly, and if I had done so, we would have been able to avoid this huge crisis.

The use of fake data ... is what I have to take full responsibility for as first author. I acknowledge all of that and apologize once again.