South Korea passes bill to ban mobile phones in classrooms – SABC News
South Korea passed a bill on Wednesday to ban the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in school classrooms.
The nationwide ban will take effect starting in March 2026 and comes as concern grows about the impact of heavy social media use among young people.
The legislation imposing the ban garnered bipartisan support in Wednesday’s parliamentary vote.
A survey by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center, found South Korea is among the world’s most digitally connected countries, with 99% of residents online and 98% owning a smartphone.
The highest rate among 27 countries the survey examined in 2022 and 2023.
About 37% of middle and high-school students say social media affects their daily lives, and 22% feel anxious without access to their accounts, a survey by the Education Ministry found last year.
In Australia, a ban on social media for teenagers was recently widened, while a study in July found a ban on mobile phones in Dutch schools has improved focus among students.
“Our youth’s addiction to social media is at a serious level now,” said Cho Jung-hun, a lawmaker from the opposition People Power Party and a sponsor of the bill. “Our kids, their eyes are red every morning. They are on Instagram until 2 or 3 a.m.,” Cho told parliament.
Many schools in South Korea already have their own restrictions for smartphone use, which the bill now formalises.
Digital devices will still be permitted for students with disabilities or for educational purposes.
Some youth advocacy groups have opposed the smartphone ban, saying it would violate children’s human rights.