South Korean Government-Initiated Internet Dream Village in Jeolla Province Helps Teenagers Suffering From Smartphone and Internet Addiction
South Korea is known to have the highest internet addiction rate in the world and most of them are the country's children and young adults who cannot keep their hands off of their smartphones and other internet devices. In fact, one out of 10 South Korean children is an internet addict, reported ABC News on Sept. 13.
In an effort to address the growing concern of internet and smartphone addiction that affects the physical, mental and social well-being of approximately 2 million addicted South Korean children, the government has initiated a 12-day digital detox boot camp.
"We teach them methods to self-manage their emotions and the desire to use the internet so they can continue to use them when they go back home," said boot camp counsellor Shim Yong Chool.
According to Korea Herald on Sunday, the boot camp, known as the Internet Dream Village, sits at the North Jeolla Province surrounded by apple trees and flowers. It was established in 2014 in partnership with the Gender Equality Ministry due to the increasing number of internet-addicted children, with 12.5 percent of teenagers being at risk for the addiction and 29 percent being at risk for smartphone addiction.
Once internet-addicted teenagers enter the state-run facility, they are required to surrender their mobile devices to authorities as their gadgets will also have no use in the Wi-Fi free boot camp.
What's in store for them are group physical exercises, art therapy classes and lessons on musical instruments such as the guitar.
Around 312 teenagers have already been treated at the facility since it first opened for the duration of at least two weeks until five weeks, depending on their progress.
"The first three days are the most difficult part of the program for most kids, as many experience withdrawal symptoms," said Kim Ji Hye, a therapist at the Internet Dream Village. "Many become depressed. Some become aggressive and angry, asking to have their phones back."
According to Kim Mi Jeong who facilitates in the teen addiction department at Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute and therapist at the Internet Dream Village, those who were treated at the facility were observed to have a better relationship with their families.
"The most important thing is the realizing that you have a problem," said the director of Internet Dream Village Park Gil Soo. "Many students, especially those who were forced by their parents to attend this program, come here thinking they are not addicted at all. Most of them change once they acknowledge that they in fact are addicted. That's when they take the initiative to make changes in their lives for the better."
