SEOUL — South Korea has passed a landmark bill banning the use of mobile phones in school classrooms nationwide, in a bold move to tackle smartphone addiction among students.
The law, approved by the National Assembly on Wednesday and set to take effect in March next year, prohibits smart devices in classrooms except when used for special education purposes, assisting students with disabilities, or serving clear educational needs.
Seoul’s Education Ministry said the measure provides a legal basis to “restrict the possession and use of such devices to protect students’ right to learn and support teachers’ activities.”
South Korea, one of the world’s most digitally connected nations, joins a growing list of countries — including Australia and the Netherlands — taking steps to regulate student smartphone use in schools.
Lawmakers backing the legislation argued that the ban was necessary to reduce distractions and safeguard student well-being. Cho Jung-hun of the opposition People Power Party, who introduced the bill, noted that the issue had been divisive for years but gained momentum after the National Human Rights Commission revised its position, ruling that classroom phone restrictions do not infringe on human rights given the devices’ negative effects on learning and mental health.
Supporters say the law will ease social tensions by clearly defining rules on smart device use in schools.
However, critics, including the left-wing Jinbo Party, slammed the ban as an overreach, warning it could “infringe on students’ digital rights and right to education.”
“The measure prevents adolescents from learning to make responsible decisions on their own and deprives them of opportunities to adapt to the digital environment,” the party said in a statement.
The new law has sparked a nationwide debate on balancing digital freedom with education reform — and whether banning devices is the right solution to South Korea’s deepening smartphone addiction concerns.
Comments