South Korea to ban mobile phones in school classrooms

South Korea has passed a measure to prohibition the usage of mobile phones and different integer devices successful schoolhouse classrooms nationwide, amid increasing concerns astir the effect of societal media connected young people. 

The ban, approved connected Wednesday and acceptable to instrumentality effect successful March adjacent year, makes South Korea the latest state to enforce restrictions connected smartphone and societal media usage for minors.

The state is among the world's astir digitally connected nations, with 99% of South Koreans online and 98% owning a smartphone, according to the US-based Pew Research Centre.

This is the highest complaint among the 27 countries the centre examined successful 2022 and 2023.

The instrumentality enforcing the prohibition received backing from some sides of parliament successful Wednesday's vote.

"Our youth's addiction to societal media is astatine a superior level now," said Cho Jung-hun, a person from the absorption People Power Party and a sponsor of the bill.

"Our kids, their eyes are reddish each morning. They are connected Instagram until 2 oregon 3am," helium added.

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A survey conducted by South Korea's Education Ministry recovered past twelvemonth that astir 37% of middle- and high-school students accidental societal media affects their regular lives.

The survey besides recovered that 22% the aforesaid radical of students consciousness anxious if they cannot entree their societal media accounts.

Many schools successful South Korea already enforce their ain smartphone restrictions, which the caller measure present officially establishes.

Digital devices volition stay allowed for students with disabilities oregon erstwhile utilized for acquisition purposes.

Some younker advocacy groups person opposed the smartphone ban, saying it would interruption children's quality rights.

Australia has precocious expanded its groundbreaking societal media prohibition for teenagers, portion a July survey revealed that prohibiting mobile phones successful Dutch schools has improved students' concentration.