Cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-seok has left for the United States to attend a stem cell seminar.

Hwang and University of Pittsburgh professor Gerald Schatten will attend the Stem Cell Policy and Advocacy Summit over the weekend at Baylor University in Houston, Texas.

At the two-day seminar hosted by the Genetics Policy Institute, Hwang said he will advocate the need for therapeutic cloning for terminally ill patients.

He will also receive the institute's first "Global Achievement Award" for his ground-breaking research.

Hwang will return home Monday.

The scientist made world headlines last month after announcing his production of individually tailored embryonic stem cells, a major advance in the treatment of incurable diseases.