Yongin Embraces 'Phone Free, RAS On' Movement, Encouraging Students Off Screens and Onto Playgrounds

Yongin, South Korea, is embracing a new initiative called "Phone Free, RAS On," aiming to shift students away from excessive smartphone use and towards activities like reading, arts, and sports. The campaign's slogan, "Turn off your phone (Phone Off), and learning and life will turn on (RAS On)," encapsulates its core message. The initiative was formally launched at a ceremony attended by over 300 students, parents, and educators.

The "Yongin Mireu-i Youth Education Council," composed of local students, spearheaded the event. Experts and educators highlighted the "physical and mental crisis" facing youth due to over-reliance on digital devices. They argue that excessive screen time disrupts balanced brain development, leads to declining literacy, emotional isolation, and physical weakness. The "RAS" in the campaign stands for Reading, Arts, and Sports, presented as crucial alternatives for balanced growth.

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If you just say 'turn off your phone,' it lacks persuasiveness, but adding 'RAS' creates an alternative. I hope they provide more concrete plans for RAS support and activities.

Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent of Education, Ahn Min-seok, a proponent of the "Phone Free School" policy, stressed the urgency of "RAS education." He called for a collective effort from schools, families, and the community. Beyond "Phone Free," Ahn also signaled a future focus on social media, noting that developed nations have been discussing and institutionalizing regulations for years. He urged a societal consensus on the extent of smartphone and social media regulation for children.

What distinguishes this campaign from prior smartphone-related policies is its emphasis on student autonomy. Instead of schools imposing rules, the "Phone Free, RAS On" movement encourages students to recognize the need for change and foster a culture of reduced screen time. The student council itself planned and led the launch ceremony, with student, parent, and teacher representatives co-signing a "Joint Practice Declaration." This student-led approach aims to create a sustainable shift in habits, with plans for similar campaigns to roll out across schools in Yongin.

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Excessive digital device exposure disrupts the balanced development of adolescents' brains, causing complex problems such as declining literacy, emotional isolation, and physical weakness. Now, we must fill the time away from screens with 'RAS activities' centered on reading, arts, and sports to promote children's balanced growth.