Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said Monday he would put a dedicated ministry unit in charge of exploring a government-backed smartphone for teenagers, as concerns grow over digital addiction among children.
“If necessary, I will designate a dedicated department within the Education Ministry to actively address the issue,” Choi said during an interpellation session at the National Assembly.
“Public discussion is important. For our students to use such a device, there needs to be discussion among the Education Ministry, the Science Ministry and smartphone manufacturers, as well as consensus among the 16 regional education offices and the broader education community,” he said.
Asked again whether he would establish a unit responsible for the issue within the ministry, Choi said he would.
Choi’s pledge came during an interpellation session held at the National Assembly on Monday after Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Young-ho urged the government to pursue the development of a smartphone designed specifically for teenagers, citing growing parental concerns over children’s smartphone use and digital addiction.
Kim said the smartphones should expand "convenient functions" for students, while limiting those that could cause addiction or over-dependence.
“It is concerning that students are starting to use smartphones at increasingly younger ages,” Kim said.
Kim cited survey data showing that about 60 percent of second graders had access to smartphones, adding the figure rising to 95.7 percent among sixth graders.
He also cited a survey of 52,000 parents in which 98.1 percent of respondents said government action was needed, while 99.2 percent supported introducing an alternative device equipped with safeguards for children.
“Students, parents and teachers need to build a social consensus around a device that provides useful functions while minimizing the risks of digital addiction,” Kim said.
“If the Education Ministry can ensure the safety of such a device, the world’s first smartphone designed specifically for teenagers could be created through Korea’s education community,” he added.
Teen-focused smartphones are not entirely new. Companies in the United States already market devices for children and teenagers with restricted apps, parental controls and limits on social media or internet access. The Korean proposal appears to differ in that it could involve the central government, education authorities and smartphone manufacturers in developing a device for students.
seungku99@heraldcorp.com
