South Korea to prohibit mobile phone use in classrooms

South Korea’s parliament passed a bill on Wednesday prohibiting the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in school classrooms nationwide.

The law, set to take effect in March next year, comes during rising concern over the impact of heavy social media use among young people.

The move aligns South Korea with other countries tightening restrictions on screen time for minors.

Surveys highlight South Korea’s deep digital penetration, with 99% of its population online and 98% owning smartphones—the highest among 27 countries studied by the Pew Research Center in 2022–2023.

"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.

A government survey found that 37% of middle and high school students believe social media disrupts their daily lives, and 22% experience anxiety when unable to access their accounts.

While many schools already enforced their own rules, the new legislation formalises these restrictions.

Exceptions will remain for students with disabilities and for educational purposes.

However, some youth advocacy groups oppose the law, arguing that a blanket ban could infringe on children’s rights.

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