South Korea to study idea of a smartphone for teenagers
South Korean Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said the ministry will consider creating a dedicated unit to study the idea of a state-supported smartphone for teenagers. The issue was discussed during a government question session at the National Assembly amid concerns about digital addiction among children, Korea Herald reports.
A unit to study the initiative
According to the minister, if necessary, he will designate a responsible department within the Ministry of Education to actively handle this issue. Choi also confirmed his readiness to create such a unit after being asked again in parliament.
He stressed that the use of such a device by students requires public discussion. The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science, smartphone manufacturers, 16 regional education offices and the educational community should be involved.
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Lawmaker’s proposal and survey
Kim Yong-ho, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, called on the government to develop a smartphone intended for teenagers. In his view, the device should offer functions useful for students and limit features that could cause addiction or excessive use.
Kim cited survey data according to which about 60% of second-grade students have access to smartphones, while the figure among sixth-graders is 95.7%. He also cited the results of a survey of 52,000 parents: 98.1% of respondents considered government action necessary, while 99.2% supported introducing an alternative device with protective features for children.
Companies in the United States already sell devices for children and teenagers with limited apps, parental controls and restrictions on access to social media or the internet. The Korean proposal may differ through the involvement of the central government, education authorities and smartphone manufacturers in developing a device for students.
