This photo from the Yeongdeungpo District Office shows a set of traffic signals that installed on pavements at pedestrian crossings to prevent accidents involving people engrossed in their smartphones.
YONGIN, July 14 (Korea Bizwire) — A municipal government will launch a pilot project to prevent so-called smartphone zombies, or “smombies,” by completely blocking mobile data usage in school zones.
The Yongin city government said Wednesday it had installed 120 special terminals to restrict smartphone functions in an area within 1.5 kilometers of the school zone around Shingal Elementary School, as part of efforts to ensure the safety of pedestrians therein.
The terminals interrupt data use and Internet connections if users of smartphones installed with a special app approach within 30 meters.
The terminals are designed to prevent accidents caused by children using smartphones while walking.
The app comes in two different types – one for parents and the other for children. Once the parents’ app is installed and operated, an alarm bell rings if children delete the children’s app.
The parents’ app also includes a variety of auxiliary functions to ensure the safety of children, including the management of data use and position tracking.
The terminal was developed by the Industrial Promotion Institute in Yongin in collaboration with a local company with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
