South Korea to ban handphones in classrooms from March 2026

South Korea passed a bill on Aug. 27 that will ban the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in classrooms nationwide.

According to Reuters, the ban will take effect in March 2026, formalising restrictions that schools in South Korea already have in place.

A 2022 survey by the Pew Research Centre placed South Korea as one of the world's most digitally connected countries, with 99 per cent of South Koreans online and 98 per cent owning a smartphone.

Cho Jung-hun, a member of parliament from the opposition People Power Party, who introduced the bill, said he was encouraged to act by other countries.

He added that there is "significant scientific and medical proof" that smartphone addiction has "extremely harmful effects on students' brain development and emotional growth."

There are exceptions to the bill, such as students with disabilities or special educational needs who are permitted to use assistive devices.

Reuters reported that some youth advocacy groups have opposed the ban, arguing that it would violate children's human rights.

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In Singapore, the government is considering the effectiveness of mandating age limits for social media to protect children and youths from its harms.

This comes after Australia approved a social media ban in November 2024 for children under 16 to protect youths.

"The stated objective of legislating age limits for social media access is to protect children and youth from its harms," said Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam in parliament on Jan. 7.

"We share the same objective and will continue to study the effectiveness of mandating age limits."

Rahayu said that the Singapore government is engaging Australian counterparts and social media platforms to solicit their views, which will inform their thinking on the next steps.

Nevertheless, Rahayu noted that such bans raise questions about how authorities would assess the extent of violations and where the line would be drawn if younger users turned to accessing unregulated platforms or services.

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