South Korea approves ban on smartphones in elementary, middle schools

South Korea’s National Assembly on Wednesday approved a nationwide ban on mobile phones and other smart devices in elementary and middle school classrooms, a measure lawmakers said is aimed at curbing heavy social media use and smartphone dependence among children. The law, passed with bipartisan support, will take effect in March next year and allows exceptions for students with disabilities and when devices are required for educational purposes, officials said.

Lawmakers who sponsored the bill argued it was needed to protect students’ ability to learn. Cho Junghun, a lawmaker from the opposition People Power Party and a sponsor of the bill, told parliament, "Our youths addiction to social media is at a serious level now. Our kids, their eyes are red every morning. They are on Instagram until 2 or 3 a.m." South Korea is one of the most digitally connected countries in the world, with very high rates of internet access and smartphone ownership, and government surveys have flagged difficulty controlling phone use particularly among youths.

The new law prohibits use of smartphones and similar devices during class hours and establishes a legal basis for schools to restrict...