Busan City’s ‘Operation’ to Save Teenagers Addicted to Smartphones

Busan Youth Counseling and Welfare Center, Internet and Smartphone Overdependence Prevention and Treatment Services
Dedicated Addiction Counselors Assigned... Customized Programs for Media Addiction Risk Levels

Service provision procedure for healing adolescents addicted to smartphones and similar issues.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A service to help teenagers addicted to the internet and smartphones will be provided in Busan.

On the 19th, Busan City announced that it will launch the ‘Customized Healing Service for Youth with Media Overdependence’ to prevent and treat internet and smartphone addiction among teenagers.

The city plans to assign dedicated counselors for internet and smartphone addiction at the Busan Youth Counseling Welfare Center, which is operated under commission, to classify teenagers who are excessively dependent on media according to risk levels and operate counseling and healing programs accordingly.

The customized youth service will be systematically provided from identifying subjects through online diagnostic surveys to offering healing services and follow-up management.

Starting from the 20th, the Youth Center will conduct the ‘Youth Internet and Smartphone Usage Habit Diagnostic Survey’ and based on the results, provide additional psychological tests, individual counseling, group counseling, hospital referrals and treatment support, healing camps, and parent education for teenagers in the caution and risk user groups.

This diagnostic survey will be conducted until July 31, targeting youth at school transition stages (4th grade elementary school, 1st grade middle school, and 1st grade high school). The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Education, and local governments and education offices are cooperating on this.

Youth struggling with internet and smartphone overdependence can apply for counseling at the Busan Youth Counseling Welfare Center to receive help.

Jeon Hye-sook, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Busan City, said, “Recently, with the increase in online learning and home life due to COVID-19, the problem of teenagers’ overdependence on the internet and smartphones has become more serious.” She added, “We will lead the healthy growth of growing teenagers through expert help.”

In the Busan area, this service is provided at one city center and six district/county centers (Nam-gu, Busanjin-gu, Saha-gu, Suyeong-gu, Yeongdo-gu, Haeundae-gu).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.