Amid the worldwide debate on Impacts of mobile phone use on the school environmentSouth Korea recently passed a law that prohibits devices in classroom
Tailored Expected to take effect in March 2026it is seen as a nod of the Lee Jae-Myung government as restriction of the use of cell phonesand consequently social networks, by minors.
Excessive use of mobile phones among young people worries authorities
Recent research on the subject revealed significant increases in (more than 4 hours a day) between 2017 and 2020, among young South Koreans, which went from 30% to 55%. The scenario is cautiously seen by the South Korean authorities in the face of the imminent mental health collapse caused by addiction to smartphones.
The veto to use the mobile phone motivated criticism from some political sectors in the country, which claimed concern about what they classified as a possible violation of individual freedom.
Given the reactions, the National Commission on Human Rights He claimed, however, that the measure seeks to mitigate the negative effects caused by the No school environment.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Education also stressed that, despite the restrictions, the new law provides for some gaps for the – As, for example, for PCDs students or in educational approach situations.
Worldwide trend
In recent years, countries such as France, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Mexico, Portugal, USA, Canada and Brazil have adopted measures that prohibit the Use of mobile phone in the classroom in full or partially.
