South Korea’s National Assembly has passed legislation banning the use of mobile phones in school classrooms from next year.
South Korea now joins France, which banned mobile phones in primary and middle schools back in 2018, as one of the few countries to legislate a nationwide restriction. In the UK, debates around smartphone use in schools have intensified, with the government publishing guidance earlier this year encouraging schools to limit phone use during the school day.
The move that could reshape handset makers’ youth strategies, alter operator marketing approaches, and accelerate demand for mobile device management solutions.
The bill, approved this week, revises the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to introduce a nationwide prohibition on smartphones during class hours. It takes effect in March 2026, the beginning of the next academic year.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the bill was supported by all parties signalling broad political consensus on the risks of digital overuse among children and teenagers.
The law establishes a default classroom ban on smartphones and other connected devices, but with carve-outs. Usage will still be permitted in emergencies, for authorised educational activities, or by students with disabilities requiring assistive tools. Schools will be free to decide how restrictions are implemented whether through on-site storage lockers, teacher enforcement, or school-wide bans.
The policy is framed around education, but hits the South Korea’s telecoms and device ecosystem where youth users are a critical growth segment.The ban will reduce daytime usage levels, potentially impacting app engagement, data consumption, and in-app advertising among school-aged demographics.
Handset makers are facing increased scrutiny over youth-focused features, such as parental controls, screen time management, or education-approved “school modes.” These could evolve into differentiators in a competitive domestic market where Samsung already commands strong brand loyalty among younger users. HMD has embraced this issue d launched ia nude-banning Fuse phone
The ban poses risks and opportunities for SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG U+. Lower in-class usage could dampen short-term data consumption among students. Butoperators may reposition tariffs and bundles around “after-school” connectivity, family safety features, or content services.
The ruling also comes at a tough moment for SK Telecom. The operator was this week fined $97 million over a major data breach affecting 27 million users.
While not yet law, some local authorities have introduced strict campus policies, mirroring the South Korean approach.
For European operators and handset makers, the risk is that tighter restrictions could dampen youth usage patterns, cutting into valuable data consumption and app engagement hours. At the same time, the growing policy focus on digital wellbeing could create new commercial opportunities in parental control tools, education-specific devices, and regulated app ecosystems.
Regulators in the UK and across Europe may now face mounting pressure to legislate, raising new strategic questions for the telecoms and device industries on how to serve the youth market in a more controlled environment.
Tags
HMD
