Over Half of Korean Kids Under Five Touch Smartphones Before Age Two

The National Center for Mental Health's Mental Health Research Institute published the MIND report in January after interviewing parents of 400 Korean children aged two to five. Findings reveal that 50.98% of these youngsters accessed smartphones before their second birthday, most commonly between 12 and 23 months (37.18%) and a smaller 13.8% even earlier. Children aged 24-35 months accounted for 23.66%, while those older than three years made up the remainder.

Weekday usage is typically under one hour for 56.78% of kids, with 32.74% not using phones at all and 9.46% using them one to three hours. The report notes a correlation between mothers classified as high-risk smartphone users and younger initiation ages for their children, suggesting more exposure and fewer restrictions. Experts cite WHO guidelines that advise no screen time for under-twos and a maximum of one hour daily for ages two to four.