Soldiers use their personal mobile phones at the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, on January 31, 2019, during a trial program on mobile phone use after duty hours. The Ministry of National Defense announced on Wednesday that it has no plans to further relax phone use regulations for conscripts, citing security concerns and potential side effects. Joint Press Corps
Armed forces face tough task of balancing freedom and security as soldiers want more screen time
By Lee Hyo-jin
As Korean conscripts become increasingly tech-savvy in the digital era, the military faces a pressing question: Can the benefits of mobile phone use in the barracks outweigh the risks?
Expanding mobile phone use for soldiers to include duty hours was a key initiative in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s efforts to improve conscript welfare. Upon taking office in May 2022, Yoon identified “expanding mobile phone use for conscripted soldiers” as one of his administration’s top 110 policy priorities. This move aimed to enhance the quality of life for soldiers and foster a more sustainable training environment.
Under the proposed change, rank-and-file soldiers would be allowed to use their phones not just during off-duty hours but throughout the day. This idea was welcomed by many enlistees and those about to enlist, as increased screen time would help them stay connected to society and feel less isolated.
However, security breaches and digital sex crimes in the barracks have prompted the government to reassess its approach.
After extensive debates and trial programs regarding expanded phone use, the government has decided to keep the current policy, which permits soldiers to use their personal phones only after working hours. This policy allows phone use from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, a framework that has been in place since April 2020. Prior to this, conscripts were entirely prohibited from carrying mobile phones in the barracks.
The Ministry of National Defense announced this decision on Wednesday, citing findings from a years-long trial program that involved thousands of conscripts across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The trial program, which ran from November 2021 to December 2023, included three phases. The policy began with the Army’s 15th Division and was gradually extended to 11 units. It was further expanded to include 45 units, covering approximately 20 percent of the total troops.
During the final trial phase, around 60,000 troops in 45 units could use their phones freely after morning roll call until 9 p.m., except during training and sleep hours. Soldiers were required to install a security app designed to prevent breaches such as unauthorized photo-taking, video recording or phone calls.
The long-term pilot program highlighted significant concerns about the negative impact of expanded phone use, according to the ministry. Despite implementing stricter penalties during the third trial phase, the number of violations remained comparable to the levels seen in the first two phases, with the Army even experiencing an increase in violations.
President Yoon Suk Yeol takes a selfie with a group of soldiers during his visit to a military unit at the central section of the inter-Korean border in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 28, 2023. Courtesy of presidential office
According to ministry data, in the third phase, there were 1,005 violations compared to 1,014 before that period, with 617 cases resulting in strong penalties like disciplinary action. Violations in the Army rose from 431 to 587.
These breaches included security lapses, illegal gambling, and digital sexual harassment.
One case involved a soldier using his phone to blackmail a minor into sending sexually-explicit photos and videos, prompting police intervention. Another incident saw a soldier filming a fellow enlistee in the restroom and sharing the footage in a social media chatroom.
Additional issues included a soldier participating in illegal gambling amounting to hundreds of millions of won and extorting money from fellow soldiers to fund this habit. There was also a breach of the Telecommunications Business Act when a soldier registered a mobile phone USIM under his own name and sold it within the barracks.
Some soldiers breached security by deleting the security app to take photos in the gym and upload them on social media.
“Unless there is a significant advancement in security technology to address these concerns, it will be difficult to fully allow mobile phone use for soldiers under the current conditions,” a ministry official said during a closed-door briefing.
The official also noted that some officers at the camps expressed concerns that increased screen time has led to reduced focus during duties and training among the conscripts, as well as a decline in camaraderie.
The government’s reversal on its policy plan has drawn sharp criticism from the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a non-governmental organization dedicated to advocating for the protection of soldiers’ human rights.
The center condemned the defense ministry for backtracking on the president’s promise, arguing that the military’s outdated approach focuses more on controlling and restricting conscripts than on addressing the underlying issues.
“There’s no justification for the president’s promises being overturned so easily. Security concerns and illegal activities related to mobile phone use should be managed with proper accountability and preventive measures, not by shifting the blame onto the soldiers,” the center said in a statement.
Supporters of expanded phone use argue that relaxed phone regulations will contribute to declines in both suicide rates and psychological distress within the military. The number of suicides dropped to 42 cases in 2020 from 62 cases in 2019 after soldiers were permitted to use mobile phones during off-duty hours.
Additionally, surveys conducted by the Korea Defense Research Institute revealed a significant improvement in mental well-being among the conscripts, with the psychological stability score among surveyed soldiers soaring from 57 in April 2019 to 97.5 in 2020.
Soldiers of the South Korean Army participate in a field training exercise in Donghae, Gangwon Province, June 19. Yonhap
Military officials and former enlistees expressed mixed views on the need for increased screen time for conscripts.
“There are pros and cons to allowing phone use,” a military officer told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity. “On one hand, it eases the administrative burden of us having to facilitate the conscripts’ communication with their families. On the other hand, there are some challenges, such as having to keep a close eye on them in order to prevent unlawful activities like gambling.”
A 26-year-old former Army enlistee, surnamed Woo, who was discharged in 2022, sais he supports limiting phone use during duty hours.
“From my experience, there’s no real need for phones during duty hours as the troops are occupied with training activities or administrative tasks,” Woo said. “While the phones can be beneficial to some extent, allowing daily use might lead to accidents or injuries in trainings.”
Another 26-year-old former soldier, surnamed Lee, said,“If strict regulations are in place to prevent soldiers from leaking classified information, I support allowing phone use during duty hours. Being able to communicate freely with people outside the base really helps relieve stress, and soldiers could use phones for self-development.”
