"Is Our Child Also Addicted to Smartphones?" Survey on 'Media Usage Habits' of 1.64 Million Adolescents

Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to Conduct "Youth Media Usage Habit Diagnostic Survey"
Providing Tailored Healing Services and More

Approximately 1.64 million students nationwide, including 1st and 4th graders in elementary school, 1st graders in middle school, and 1st graders in high school, will undergo a media usage diagnostic survey throughout April.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced that, together with the Ministry of Education and metropolitan and provincial education offices, it will conduct the "2025 Youth Media Usage Habit Diagnostic Survey" to early identify youths struggling with issues such as excessive media use and cyber gambling, and to provide tailored healing services.

The Ministry plans to offer customized healing services to youths identified as being in the "internet and smartphone overdependence" or "youth cyber gambling risk group," with the consent of their guardians.

First, for youths overdependent on the internet and smartphones, individual and group counseling will be provided, along with additional psychological testing. If psychological or emotional difficulties such as depression or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are detected, comprehensive psychological assessments and hospital treatment will be supported. Treatment costs will be covered up to 400,000 KRW (600,000 KRW for vulnerable groups).

Youths requiring intensive healing will be supported through a "residential healing camp program," which offers professional counseling and various alternative activities in an environment with restricted media use. Institutions operating the residential healing camp program include Youth Counseling and Welfare Centers, Internet Addiction Prevention Counseling Centers, the National Youth Internet Dream Village, and the National Daegu Youth Didim Center.

Youths identified as belonging to the "cyber gambling risk group" will be referred to the Korea Center on Gambling Problems Prevention and Healing for specialized counseling services.

Choi Eun-ju, Youth Policy Officer at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "We hope this youth media usage habit diagnostic survey will serve as an opportunity for youths to self-assess their excessive media use and gambling experiences and to develop wise media usage habits."