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. And they are not the first to do so.
Some countries like Finland and France have banned phones on a smaller scale, applying the restriction only to schools for younger children, while others like Italy, the Netherlands, and China have restricted phone use in all schools. But South Korea is among the few to enshrine such a ban in law.
Children these days just can't seem to put their smartphones down, says Choi Eun-young, mother of a 14-year-old in Seoul. It's not just children, though. Nearly a quarter of the country's 51 million people depend on their phones too much, according to a 2024 government survey. But that figure more than doubles - to 43% - for those between the ages of 10 and 19. This trend has been rising over the years. More than a third of teens also say they struggle to control their smartphone use, with parents expressing concerns that this distracts them from productive activities. The new law provides exemptions for students with disabilities or special educational needs and permits phone use for educational purposes or emergencies. While many teachers back the change, there are divergent opinions on its potential impact.
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. And they are not the first to do so.
Some countries like Finland and France have banned phones on a smaller scale, applying the restriction only to schools for younger children, while others like Italy, the Netherlands, and China have restricted phone use in all schools. But South Korea is among the few to enshrine such a ban in law.
Children these days just can't seem to put their smartphones down, says Choi Eun-young, mother of a 14-year-old in Seoul. It's not just children, though. Nearly a quarter of the country's 51 million people depend on their phones too much, according to a 2024 government survey. But that figure more than doubles - to 43% - for those between the ages of 10 and 19. This trend has been rising over the years. More than a third of teens also say they struggle to control their smartphone use, with parents expressing concerns that this distracts them from productive activities. The new law provides exemptions for students with disabilities or special educational needs and permits phone use for educational purposes or emergencies. While many teachers back the change, there are divergent opinions on its potential impact.
