New military conscripts will be allowed to use their personal mobile phones on a limited basis at boot camps starting next month, the defense ministry said Wednesday, as part of efforts to help them better adapt to their mandatory military service.

Following a six-month pilot run that ended in December, all trainee soldiers will be allowed to use their mobile phones for one hour each day on weekends and public holidays starting September, according to the ministry.

Under the plan, soldiers hospitalized at military hospitals will also be allowed to use their mobile phones from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, to help them stay connected with their units and family members and receive effective medical treatment, it added.

The move comes nearly four years after the government eased mobile phone use regulations for conscripts after work in July 2020, allowing them to use their personal devices from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

The ministry said it has no
plan to further ease its regulations for conscripts, citing security concerns and side effects, such as soldiers engaging in illegal gambling or posting photos of their military units on social media.

“The military will maintain its current policy on mobile phone use after work so that troops can focus on their given tasks at a time that requires a powerful defense posture,” the ministry said in a release.

All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve at least 18 months in the military in a country facing constant security threats from North Korea.

Source: Yonhap News Agency