South Korea to ban smartphones at schools to curb social media uses

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM

South Korea to ban smartphones at schools to curb social media uses

Bangla Press Desk: The South Korean government has decided to prevent the uses of smartphones in school classrooms in a bid to curb the uses of social media during learning processes. The ban, which will take effect from March next year, makes South Korea the latest country to restrict the use of smartphones and social media among minors, Reuters reported. Australia recently widened its pioneering ban on social media for teenagers. A ban on mobile phones in Dutch schools has improved focus among students, a study found in July. Surveys show South Korea is among the world's most digitally connected countries, with 99 percent of South Koreans online and 98 percent owning a smartphone, according to the US-based Pew Research Center, the highest rate among the 27 countries it examined in 2022 and 2023.

The legislation imposing the ban garnered bipartisan support in Wednesday's parliamentary vote. "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 3am," Cho told parliament. About 37 percent of middle- and high-school students say social media affects their daily lives, while 22 percent feel anxious if they cannot access their social media accounts, a survey by the Education Ministry found last year.

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. This article was originally published on Daily Sun.

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South Korea to ban smartphones at schools to curb social media uses

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