SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly 4 in 10 South Korean parents say they feel stressed about managing their children’s use of smartphones and tablets, according to a new survey that underscores growing anxiety over “digital parenting” in the country’s hyper-connected households.
The study, released Wednesday by the Korea Press Foundation, surveyed 921 parents of elementary, middle, and high school students. About 40.5 percent said supervising their child’s digital device use caused them stress, while only 22.8 percent said it did not. Another 34.6 percent described the task as “overwhelming.”
Nearly 40 percent of respondents said they were unsure how or to what extent they should intervene in their children’s smartphone or tablet habits — reflecting a widespread sense of uncertainty about where to draw the line between guidance and control.
Despite these concerns, most parents said they recognize the need to play an active role: 79.5 percent believed they should monitor or guide their child’s device use, yet only 61.6 percent said they actually do so.
The survey also revealed clear socioeconomic patterns. Parents with higher education and household income levels were more likely to engage in digital supervision, as were those living in major cities compared with rural or small-town residents.
An overwhelming 88.2 percent of respondents said formal education programs on digital parenting should be made available to parents.
The foundation warned that disparities in digital guidance risk deepening broader social gaps, turning unequal access to information into “qualitative differences in children’s digital upbringing.” It urged policymakers to develop tailored programs that reflect the distinct needs of different regions and social groups.
The online survey was conducted last month by research firm STi on behalf of the Korea Press Foundation.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
