Seventy-four students at a high school in the southeastern city of Daegu were hospitalized Monday following a suspected gas leak, officials said.

The affected students were in the school auditorium when they reported smelling gas, according to emergency officials in the city 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Around 800 students were attending the principal's inauguration ceremony in the morning when it happened. 

Some of the students displayed symptoms such as vomiting, but none were reported to be in critical condition.

Most of the students returned to school after receiving medical treatment, while the rest are still being treated at 12 hospitals, according to the school, Gyeongsang Girls' High School.

The school reported a similar case in 2017. The authorities looked into the cause of the leak then but failed to come up with an answer.

In cooperation with the Korea Gas Safety Corp. and the environment authorities, the police are investigating the cause of the latest incident and are looking into the possibility of a gas leak at a nearby construction site. (Yonhap)