South Korea has enacted a nationwide ban on mobile phone use in school classrooms, officials announced Thursday, joining a growing list of countries aiming to curb social media use among minors.
Recognized as one of the world’s most digitally connected nations, South Korea has recently intensified regulations on electronic devices in schools, citing worries over smartphone addiction among students.
According to a National Assembly spokeswoman, the bill, which passed Wednesday and will take effect in March next year, prohibits smartphones and other smart devices in classrooms.
This development positions South Korea alongside nations such as Australia and the Netherlands that have imposed similar restrictions on social media use among schoolchildren.
Seoul’s Education Ministry clarified that smartphones may only be used in classrooms as assistive tools for students with disabilities or special education needs, or strictly for educational purposes.
The law also provides a legal framework to “restrict the possession and use of such devices to protect students’ right to learn and support teachers’ activities,” the ministry added.
Cho Jung-hun, a lawmaker from the opposition People Power Party who introduced the bill, said the matter had long been “contentious amid concerns over human rights violations.”
However, the country’s National Human Rights Commission recently shifted its position, noting that restricting phone use for educational purposes does not violate rights, given its negative impact on students’ learning and emotional well-being.
The lawmakers argued the legislation was necessary to ease social tensions “by clearly defining rules on smart device use in schools.”
The measure has faced criticism from groups such as the left-wing Jinbo Party, which warned the law would “infringe on students’ digital rights and right to education.”
The party added, “prevents adolescents from learning to make responsible decisions on their own and deprives them of opportunities to adapt to the digital environment.”