South Korea Takes a Bold Step to Ban Phones in Classrooms

In a country where 98% of people own a smartphone, South Korea is doing something almost unthinkable: banning them from classrooms. Starting March 2026, students will have to put their devices away during class hours. Lawmakers say the nationwide ban is meant to curb the harmful effects of social media and rising screen addiction among kids.

This marks a shift from school-level policies to a national law. Most South Korean schools had already restricted phone use in classrooms since 2023 under various guidelines. The new bill, passed through the National Assembly on Wednesday, now formally bans smartphones during class time. However, exceptions remain for emergencies, educational purposes, and other situations specified under the law. Digital devices will also still be permitted for students with disabilities.

Students won’t face formal penalties, but principals and teachers are tasked with enforcing the phone ban on campus. The law also requires schools to teach healthy digital habits, a measure long supported by parents and educators who cite the impact of screen addiction on academic performance and emotional well-being.

Cho Jung-hun, an opposition lawmaker who first drafted the bill, said he wanted to address growing smartphone addiction among South Korean youths and protect their mental health. But not everyone agrees with the crackdown. Some student rights groups say putting the restrictions into law goes too far.

“Although they can already restrict the use under the existing regulations, they want to write it down in law, directly infringing upon students’ basic constitutional rights, such as freedom of communication and rights to keep privacy and seek happiness,” opponents said in a statement last week.

The debate is unfolding in one of the most connected countries in the world. A 2024 government survey found that nearly a quarter of South Korea’s 51 million people were so dependent on their smartphones that they couldn’t control how long they used them, despite negative effects on their physical, psychological, and social life. Among those aged 10 to 19, the figure rose to nearly 43%.

South Korea isn’t alone in taking this step. Countries like France, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and China have also imposed restrictions on smartphone use in schools, reflecting a growing global concern over how screens affect young people’s learning and well-being.