South Korea has approved a law that forbids smartphones and other smart devices during school hours. The country follows a global trend of restricting young people’s phone use.
The law will take effect in March 2026. Lawmakers from both major parties backed the decision. They say it aims to tackle smartphone addiction, which research increasingly links to harmful effects.
Parents and lawmakers demand action
Supporters argue that constant phone use harms concentration and academic results. They also stress that children spend less time studying and more time scrolling. Parents fear their children lose opportunities for hobbies, friendships, and learning.
But many students doubt the law’s effectiveness. They ask how teachers will enforce it and whether it addresses the deeper causes of addiction.
On Wednesday, lawmakers passed the bill with 115 votes in favour out of 163 present.
Global restrictions already spreading
Many South Korean schools already apply restrictions on phone use. Finland and France ban phones for younger students. Italy, the Netherlands and China enforce nationwide restrictions across all schools. South Korea now goes further by making the ban legally binding.
“Children just can’t seem to put their smartphones down,” says Choi Eun-young, a mother of a 14-year-old in Seoul.
Smartphone dependency among youth rises
The addiction problem stretches beyond schools. A 2024 survey revealed nearly a quarter of South Korea’s 51 million people depend too much on their devices. For teenagers aged 10 to 19, the number rises to 43%.
More than a third of teens admit they cannot stop scrolling videos. Parents worry this interferes with studies, socialising, and healthy activities.
“When they go to school, they should learn, make friends and join activities,” Ms Choi says. “But phones keep pulling them back. It weakens both friendships and learning.”
Other parents fear bullying, as insults and abuse often spread on social media.
Politicians point to health dangers
Cho Jung-hun, an opposition MP who introduced the bill, says he acted after observing similar moves abroad. He insists that smartphone addiction damages brain development and emotional growth.
The law applies during lessons but lets schools restrict use on the entire campus. Exemptions exist for educational purposes, emergencies, or assistive devices for students with disabilities. Schools must also teach children how to use phones responsibly.
Teachers disagree on approach
Educators remain split on the new law. The conservative Korean Federation of Teachers’ Association supports the move, saying it strengthens classroom discipline. The group found in a survey that 70% of teachers face disruptions due to phones. Some students reacted aggressively when asked to put devices away, even swearing or assaulting teachers.
The Korean Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union has not taken a firm stance. Some members believe the law violates student rights. Critics also argue students rely on messaging apps to connect with friends outside school and cram academies.
Exam culture fuels deeper stress
Some teachers warn that the law overlooks the country’s larger problem: the pressure of the college entrance exam, Suneung. The exhausting eight-hour test shapes university access, career chances, and future income.
Children prepare for Suneung from their first day of school. A 13-year-old student explained he lacks time for phone addiction because tutoring and homework keep him awake past midnight.
Many argue that education, not bans, is the real solution. “We should first teach students how to live without phones,” says 18-year-old high schooler Seo Min-joon, who opposes the law.
He warns the measure misses its target. “Students will still use phones on their way home or late at night,” he says. “There has been no real education on healthy use, only confiscation.”
