MERS（中東呼吸器症候群）の患者数が拡大する韓国・ソウルで、名門・成均館大学の学生が、マスクをしたことを理由に退室を命じられとして話題になっている。
韓国のニュースメディア「OhMyNEWS」が香港メディア「TVB NEWS」を引用して報道した内容によると、概要は以下の通り。
1.成均館大学の交換留学生だった香港・城市大学のA（22）、B（23）は6月8日、新聞放送学の講義でマスクを着用した。
2.教授が「香港でSARSがあったのは知っているが、だからといって勘に触る姿と雰囲気を我々の講義と韓国に持ち込まないでほしい」と退室させた。
3.学生は学校に抗議したところ「（韓国で）一部の教授は、 授業中にマスクを着用することを失礼だと思っている」「マスクをして発表ができなかった場合は、単位を与えることができない」と答えた。
4.学生は、香港に帰国した。
5.香港旅行業協会は、この問題を理由に、6月の韓国観光ツアーをすべてキャンセルした。
ここまでは、香港メディアが、学生本人に取材して報道した概要だ。
では、成均館大学はどのような立場なのか？
成均館大学は授業から追い出したのは確かだが、香港の学生が一方的に帰国を通知したことで発生した問題だと釈明している。また、授業が終わった後、謝罪したというのが、成均館側の話だ。
OhMyNewsが取材した成均館大学の主張は、以下の通り。
（学生が最初に）教授に「MERSが拡散していて怖いから帰国する」と述べた。教授が「学期が終わっておらず、課題や発表などが残っているのにどうするんだ」と尋ねたが、2人の学生は、主張を曲げなかった。
一方的に帰国を通告され腹が立った教授は、2人の学生に「マスクしてこんな話をしていいのか。マスクを取ってくれ」と要求した。しかし、2人の学生はマスクを取らず、最終的に教授は、2人の学生に授業から退出を命じた。
教授と学生の間に誤解があったが、和解した。
成均館大学はMERS拡散のために学期を終えすに早期帰国する学生が不利益を受けないよう措置を取っている。
この記事はハフポスト韓国版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。
韓国でMERSの感染広がる
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(01 of28)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(02 of28)
A student has her temperature taken by a teacher outside the Sungshin elementary school in Seoul on June 8, 2015. South Korea recorded its sixth death and biggest single day jump in Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infections, with 23 new cases in the largest outbreak of the potentially deadly virus outside Saudi Arabia. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(03 of28)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(04 of28)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they arrive at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(05 of28)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea MERS(06 of28)
Philippines tourists wear masks as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus on a subway train in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(07 of28)
Hospital workers wear masks as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus as they work in front of an emergency room of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in South Korea has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(08 of28)
A tourist wears mask as a precaution against MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus at the Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea\'s well-known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(09 of28)
Tourists wear masks as a precaution against MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus as they visit Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea\'s well-known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(10 of28)
A passenger wears a mask as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus on a subway train in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in South Korea has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(11 of28)
South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo, left, speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(12 of28)
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(13 of28)
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(14 of28)
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South Korea MERS Virus(16 of28)
A man helps a patient to wear a mask as a precaution against the possible MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus in front of a facility to examine temporarily quarantined people who could be infected with the MERS virus at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(17 of28)
A man wearing a face mask walks outside the Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials over their \'insufficient\' response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(18 of28)
A man wearing a face mask walks through a market in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials over their \'insufficient\' response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(19 of28)
South Korean hospital workers set a separated emergency center for MERS cases at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
South Korea MERS Virus(20 of28)
South Koreans wearing masks as a precaution against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus sit at an emergency room at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with a virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS Virus(21 of28)
A patient wearing a mask as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus walks by a facility to examine temporarily quarantined people who could be infected with the MERS virus at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(22 of28)
South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(23 of28)
South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo, left, speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(24 of28)
A South Korean hospital worker wearing a mask stands in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(25 of28)
South Korean hospital workers wearing masks stand in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(26 of28)
South Korean rescue members carry a woman in front of a public notice on MERS at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(27 of28)
South Korean hospital workers wearing masks stand in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(28 of28)
South Korean hospital workers set a separated emergency center for MERS cases at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
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