The nationwide ban comes after a government survey found nearly 43 per cent of teenagers have trouble controlling their phone use
On a crisp morning just north of Seoul, Ryu Da-yeon hands over her smartphone to her teacher – a ritual so familiar she barely notices it.
The nationwide ban on smartphone use in primary and middle schools is aimed at addressing rising concerns over technology’s impact on young minds.
For many South Korean students, the new law formalises what has long been routine.
“In elementary and middle school, we gave our phones to the teacher first thing in the morning,” said Ryu, a second-year high school student in Paju. “So I don’t see what’s different. It feels like we’ve already been doing this.”
