Kim Moon-soo: "Rapid Increase in Elementary, Middle, and High School Students Suffering from 'VDT Syndrome'"

Over the Past 5 Years, Elementary Students Increased by 42%
Middle and High School Students Rose by 35.3% and 12.1%
"AI Digital Textbooks Neglect Health and Safety"

Assemblyman Kim Moon-soo

Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of elementary, middle, and high school students receiving treatment for VDT syndrome, highlighting the urgent need for countermeasures. VDT syndrome refers to physical and mental health problems that may arise from using visual devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets.

On the 11th, Kim Moon-su, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, and Gurye Gap), analyzed data on the "Number of Children and Adolescents Treated for VDT Syndrome from 2018 to 2023" submitted by the National Health Insurance Service. The analysis revealed that the number of elementary school students treated for VDT syndrome increased by 42% over the past five years. In particular, the average annual growth rate for elementary students was 7.2%, the fastest increase among all groups.

The proportion of elementary students among all students treated for VDT syndrome rose from 32.7% in 2018 to 36.2% in 2023, an increase of 3.5 percentage points. Cases of VDT syndrome treatment among middle and high school students have also increased. Compared to 2018, the number of middle school students treated increased by 35.3%, and high school students by 12.1% in 2023.

It is analyzed that students’ complaints of VDT syndrome are closely related to the amount of time spent using visual devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets. According to the "2023 Digital Education White Paper" published by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Education and Research Information Service, the daily digital usage time of students in South Korea is higher than the OECD average. Students in OECD countries use digital devices for 2 hours on school days and 1.6 hours on weekends for learning activities, whereas South Korean students use them for 2.2 hours and 2.3 hours respectively. Leisure time on weekends also shows South Korean students using digital devices for 4.4 hours, higher than the OECD average of 3.9 hours.

Regarding the use of AI digital textbooks, parents’ greatest concern is physical problems such as vision deterioration. However, the Ministry of Education has not presented any specific countermeasures.

Rep. Kim stated, “While AI digital textbooks require verification from various perspectives, the problem lies in the Ministry of Education lightly dismissing the concerns of teachers and parents and pushing for full implementation.” He emphasized, “Before introducing AI digital textbooks, detailed research and measures prioritizing students’ health and safety must be prepared.”