South Korea Enacts Nationwide Ban on Phones in Classrooms
South Korea has passed a bill banning the use of mobile phones and smart devices during class hours in schools, becoming the latest country to restrict phone use among children and teens.
The law, which comes into effect from the next school year in March 2026, is the result of a bi-partisan effort to curb smartphone addiction, as more research points to its harmful effects. Lawmakers, parents, and teachers argue that smartphone use is affecting students' academic performance and takes away time they could have spent studying.
The ban has its skeptics, including students, who question how it would work, its wider implications, and whether it is addressing the root cause of addiction. The bill passed convincingly on Wednesday afternoon, with 115 votes in favor out of 163 members present.
Most South Korean schools have already implemented some form of a smartphone ban. Other countries like Finland and France have placed restrictions aimed at younger children, whereas Italy, the Netherlands, and China have banned phone use in all schools. However, South Korea is one of the few to formalize such a ban in law.
The other group, Korean Teachers and Educational Workers' Union, expressed concerns on the law's impact, arguing it violates students' rights to access their smartphones. They suggest that education on responsible device use should take priority over confiscation.
The law includes exemptions for students with disabilities or special educational needs and allows phones to be used for educational purposes or emergencies. The concern persists as smartphone dependency remains a significant issue, with around 43% of teens admitting to overusing their devices.
