Law limiting student smartphone use in class passes in bipartisan vote

Students in Korea will be banned from using smartphones during class starting in the spring semester under a new law aimed at reducing digital overdependence and protecting classroom learning.

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a revision to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that stipulates a default ban on the use of smart devices, including mobile phones, during class in a vote that reflected rare bipartisan agreement between the liberal Democratic Party and conservative People Power Party.

Under the new law, students will not be allowed to use smartphones during lessons unless given permission by teachers or principals for educational purposes or in emergencies. Students with disabilities or those receiving special education may use the devices as assistive tools with prior approval.

The revision grants school principals and teachers the authority to restrict the use or possession of smart devices when deemed necessary to protect a student's right to learn or to ensure smooth teaching.

Each school can set its own policies through school regulations. Some schools may choose to prohibit phones on campus altogether, while others may collect devices in a communal pouch before class.

Teachers will be able to respond to violations according to school rules — with warnings and counseling or disciplinary action and guidance.

The Ministry of Education had previously restricted smartphone use during class through a 2023 administrative notice related to student discipline. That guideline came in response to the death of a teacher at Seo 2 Elementary School in July 2023, when a young teacher in Seoul died after reportedly facing continued pressure and complaints from parents over classroom discipline.

With the strengthened law taking effect next year, schools are expected to reinforce their policies during the upcoming fall semester.

Until now, smartphone bans in schools have sparked controversy over student rights and the balance between the right to learn and teacher authority. In October last year, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea ruled that collecting phones at schools did not violate student rights — a reversal from previous stances.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea ruled before 2014 that collecting students’ phones and imposing a blanket ban on smartphone use in schools violated students’ rights in over 300 related petitions.

The reversal followed growing public concern that unregulated smartphone use by students harms not only their learning and health but also weakens teacher authority.

“Many schools already restrict smartphone use under current regulations, but there was agreement that a legal foundation would be preferable,” said Park Hye-won, director of the School Violence Countermeasures Division at the Education Ministry. “Although the People Power Party proposed the bill, the Democratic Party also agreed with its intent.”

Ahn Ki-hee, head of the civic group leading the campaign for the law, said, “The addictive nature of smartphones is beyond what students can regulate on their own. This law only restricts use during class, but we will continue with movements like ‘Creating smartphone-free schools’ and ‘No smartphones until middle school.’”

Parents and teachers welcomed the law.

Kim, 42, a mother of two daughters in the 3rd and 5th grades in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, said, “These days, children don't engage in visible bullying — they insult and hurt each other with smartphones. Banning these devices is crucial to prevent such unseen harm.”

The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations (KFTA) said in a statement that the revised law protects students’ right to learn and be healthy while strengthening teacher authority.

In a May survey of 5,591 teachers by the KFTA, 66.5 percent said they had experienced classroom disruptions due to smartphone use. Another 85.8 percent said they worried about being secretly recorded or photographed during lessons.

In one incident in April, a high school student in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, punched a teacher after being scolded for playing games on their smartphone during class.

The rise in digital dependence among youth also fueled support for the bill.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the proportion of smartphone-dependent youth aged 10 to 19 rose from 30.6 percent in 2016 to 42.6 percent last year. While adult dependence peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now declining, youth dependence continues to grow.

Countries like France, the United States and Britain are also adopting policies to reduce screen time for teens. In France, where the government has declared smartphone use among youth a “national health crisis,” some schools have been piloting policies where students deposit their phones in lockers at the start of the school day and retrieve them upon leaving.

Some youth rights groups, however, oppose the new law, arguing that legal restrictions are not the solution.

“This law disproportionately infringes on students’ constitutional rights to communication, privacy and the pursuit of happiness," said Youth Act, a coalition of civic groups, in a recent press conference at the National Assembly.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KIM MIN-SANG,LEE HOO-YEON [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]