A South Korean company says it has received an order for the world's first commercial cloning of a pet dog.

Seoul-based RNL-Bio says an American woman has asked it to create a clone of her beloved former dead pit bull. The woman, from the western state of California, had her dog's ear tissue refrigerated before it died a year and a half ago.

A team of scientists at Seoul National University will carry out the cloning work, for which RNL-Bio is charging $150,000.

Last year, scientists at the lab received an order to clone drug-sniffing dogs for the country's customs service.

The university laboratory produced the world's first cloned dog, an Afghan hound called 'Snuppy', in 2005.

Stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, a former team leader at the laboratory was a national hero in South Korea until an investigation found that parts of his work were fake. He is standing trial on charges of fraud and embezzlement.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.