SEOUL (AFP) -- South Korean prosecutors quizzed cloning expert Hwang Woo-Suk for the first time over fraudulent research and allegations of misuse of millions of dollars in funds.

Prosecutors have questioned dozens of people since a panel of experts concluded in January that Hwang had falsified data in his apparently breakthrough research papers published in the journal Science in 2004 and 2005.

But it was the first time Hwang had been summoned by prosecutors, who were considering whether to file criminal charges against him over millions of dollars in funding that has not been accounted for.

"Hwang is under questioning over his research papers," a prosecutor told AFP, adding that three key members of the scientist's research team had also been summoned to explain their role in the case.

About 40 protestors waved placards or chanted slogans supporting Hwang as he appeared at the state prosecutors' office in southern Seoul.

One of the other researchers summoned was Kim Sun-Jong, who is suspected of playing a key role in manipulating experiments for Hwang. Kim worked with Hwang's former partner, Gerald Schatten from the University of Pittsburgh.

Hwang, 52, stunned the scientific world with his 2005 paper in which he claimed to have created 11 patient-specific stem cell lines. Those claims were based on fabricated data, the panel of experts found.

The panel also dismissed his claim made in a 2004 paper that he had derived a stem cell from a cloned embryo, another supposed world first.

Hwang maintains that he did produce stem cells but claims that they were replaced by scientists from a fertility clinic involved in cloning.

Stem cells are master cells that have the potential to develop into any organ of the body. Scientists believe they could be used to fight a range of illnesses including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

Prosecutors are also investigating allegations the professor made donations to politicians and failed to account for 6.2 billion won (6.4 million dollars) in research funding.

Hwang's team received a total of 37 billion won in research funding over the past five years and spent 25 billion won.

State auditors said last month that Hwang's accounting practices were below standard and that he kept millions of dollars in donations in nine personal bank accounts from which he withdrew cash.

Hwang could be arrested if he is found to have faked his research in order to win millions of dollars in government funding or that he misused the funds he received.