No Phones Even During Breaks: Schools Lock Away Student Devices

[Anchor]

The terms of newly elected superintendents of education across the country began this month. Some superintendents have pledged to ban students from using mobile phones not only during class but also during breaks and lunch hours.

Reporter Jeong Banseok examines the perspectives of teachers and parents, as well as concerns regarding potential infringements on student rights.

[Reporter]

In April of last year, at a high school in Seoul.

A student throws an object from the teacher's desk and then punches the teacher in the face.

The incident occurred after the teacher intervened when the student was playing games on a mobile phone during class.

Since then, a law banning the use of mobile phones during class has been implemented, and some schools have gone further by banning their use entirely on campus.

[Jeong Yeon-ju / Homeroom Teacher, Hwaseong Middle School, Gyeonggi Province: Let's all put our phones away and sit back down before we start homeroom.]

Before the first period begins, students line up to place their phones in a collection box, which a student on duty then locks.

This school is a so-called "phone-free school."

Unless prior permission is granted, students are not allowed to use their mobile phones during class, or even during breaks and lunch hours.

Even during outdoor activities like sports days, mobile phones are kept in designated bags.

Teachers and parents report high levels of satisfaction.

[Jeong Yeon-ju / Homeroom Teacher, Hwaseong Middle School, Gyeonggi Province: It prevents notifications from popping up during class and removes the temptation to check social media intermittently.]

[Yoon Jung-mi / Parent, Hwaseong Middle School, Gyeonggi Province: There were cases where children wouldn't participate in school festivals and would just use their phones instead.]

Most students have also become accustomed to the policy.

[Student, Hwaseong Middle School, Gyeonggi Province: I haven't really used my phone much at school, so I don't feel the need to use it.]

A survey by the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations of 153 elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide found that 44% of schools prohibit mobile phone use even during breaks and lunch hours.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea, which previously viewed the collective collection of mobile phones as an infringement on human rights, determined in 2024 that it does not constitute a rights violation if students' opinions are reflected in school regulations and if phones can be used outside of class hours with teacher permission.

However, concerns persist that a total ban on mobile phone use on campus could make it difficult to prevent or prove instances of corporal punishment by teachers, school violence, or child abuse.

[Yoon Soo-young / Youth Rights Activist: Many disputes that occur within schools involve photos, recordings, and videos, with parties arguing over who is right and who is wrong. Fundamentally banning the possession of smart devices (by students) also restricts their right to protect themselves, leave evidence, and keep records.]

The superintendents of education in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, among others, have made banning mobile phone use on campus a campaign pledge, with plans to establish specific guidelines through public discourse.

Reported by Kim Han-gyeol | Video by Kim Jong-tae | VJ: Shin So-young | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jung
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.