A bill enacting the ban passed South Korea’s one house of Parliament with bipartisan support.
It will come into effect in March 2026.
Ban
On Wednesday (local time), the South Korean National Assembly (Parliament) voted in favour of banning students from using their phones during school hours.
The ban gives teachers the authority to stop students using their devices on school property. It also encourages educators to teach students how to effectively use their devices.
South Korea joins the Netherlands, Italy, China, Finland and France in implementing phone bans in schools.
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Students are allowed to use devices for educational purposes and emergency situations. Students with disabilities will be able to continue using assistive technology.
Comments
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Association said the bill provided “a much firmer legal basis” to confiscate students’ phones.
On the other hand, the Korean Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union told the BBC it had concerns about students’ rights.
Young people’s rights group the National Youth Citizens’ Action criticised the bill earlier this week, saying it “treats students as objects of control and discipline, rather than respecting them as citizens with equal rights and freedoms.”
