South Korea has passed a bill banning the use of mobile phones and smart devices during class hours in schools.   Most South Korean schools have already implemented some form of a smartphone ban.    But their newly-passed bill means they join countries like Finland, France, the Netherlands and China in restricting phones in all schools across the entire country.    The law, which comes into effect from March 2026, is the result of a bi-partisan effort to curb smartphone addiction, as more research points to its harmful effects.   Lawmakers, parents and teachers argue that smartphone use is affecting students’ academic performance and takes away time they could have spent studying.   But many question how it would work, its wider implications and whether it is addressing the root cause of addiction.   There are exemptions to the ban, however.   Tap the link in BBCNews’s bio to read what they are.    (📸 Getty)   #SouthKorea #BBCNews