Why Telecommunications Company KT Launched a 'Smartphone Refrain Campaign' [On-Site]

"I believe that the condition for a beloved company is that it truly cares about its customers. I think that a desirable role for a company is not to make customers addicted to digital devices such as smartphones, but to guide them to use them correctly and properly." This is what



Lee Min-seok, executive director of ESG Promotion at KT's ESG Management Promotion Office, said when asked about the background of KT, a telecommunications company, conducting a digital detox campaign at a meeting with reporters at Yonsei University's Baekyangnuri Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 26th.



On the afternoon of the 26th, a shooting experience activity for teenagers is being held at Yonsei University's Baekyangnuri Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where the KT Digital Detox Camp was held. [Photo=Reporter Ahn Se-jun]



Lee Min-seok, executive director of ESG Promotion at KT's ESG Management Promotion Office, is conducting an interview with reporters at Yonsei University's Baekyangnuri Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 26th. [Photo = KT]



"Ethical aspects must be considered along with the provision of IT services such as communications and AI"



Digital Detox refers to the act of temporarily stopping or reducing the use of digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and tablets and the Internet. On this day, KT held a 'Digital Detox Camp' for 110 middle school students nationwide at the Baekyangnuri Hall of Yonsei University in collaboration with the Severance Hospital Department of Child Psychiatry and Social Work Team, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the Gyeonggi Office of Education.



In modern society, digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and tablets have become indispensable elements that occupy a large part of our daily lives, such as work, study, and communication. However, excessive reliance on digital devices can cause various problems. Representative problems include sleep disorders including dopamine addiction, deteriorating eye health, decreased concentration, and difficulty controlling conflicts.



Domestic telecommunications companies such as KT, SK Telecom, and LG Uplus have recently been carrying out digital detox campaigns targeting the younger generation. This year marks the second time for KT. It is unusual for a telecommunications company, which sees increasing profits the more customers use data and subscribe to expensive plans, to carry out a campaign with the exact opposite nature.



Managing Director Lee emphasized that it is important to create a culture that encourages young people to use digital devices properly, rather than looking at it from the perspective of corporate profits. He said, "Only when (digital devices) are used properly can society become healthy and telecommunications companies can continue to develop sustainably," adding, "Along with providing IT services such as telecommunications and AI, ethical aspects must also be considered to become a beloved company."



On the afternoon of the 26th, at the Baekyangnuri Hall of Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where the KT Digital Detox Camp was held, an activity to experience the Netflix series Squid Game is underway for young people. [Photo = Reporter Ahn Se-jun]



On the afternoon of the 26th, at the Baekyangnuri Hall of Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where the KT Digital Detox Camp was held, an activity to experience the Nanta ensemble is underway for young people. [Photo=Reporter Ahn Se-jun]

At the 2nd KT Digital Detox Camp, which was held on this day, various educational and experiential activities were carried out to temporarily forget about digital devices such as smartphones, including a



special lecture by a professor at

Severance Hospital, shooting, Nanta ensemble, paper airplane, and squid game. The 110 middle school students who attended the camp either left their smartphones at home or returned them before the start of the camp and participated in the campaign. The theme of the camp was 'Communication between myself and my surroundings.' In the morning, Professor Choi Hang-nyeong of the Department of Child Psychiatry at Severance Hospital gave a special lecture on 'Understanding and Treating Digital Immersion,' followed by a lecture by Team Leader Park So-ra of the Social Work Team at Severance Hospital. In the afternoon, programs related to keywords for each major process of digital immersion psychotherapy followed.

KT prepared various experiential programs that symbolize each stage of psychotherapy, such as △Focusing on myself △Reducing stress △Forming relationships △Communicating. These include shooting, Nanta ensemble, squid game, and paper airplane. National team players in actual shooting and paper airplanes participated as daily instructors to increase concentration.

KT has been implementing a digital side effect prevention program for middle school students since 2023. The detox camp is one of the digital side effect prevention programs. It was first held in August of last year. According to KT, the second camp had about 2,000 applicants for 110 positions.

Oh Tae-seong, head of KT's ESG Management Promotion Office, said, "As we are moving beyond the digital era and into the AI ​​era, it is important to form a proper digital culture for youth, who will be the future protagonists of the Republic of Korea." He added, "In addition to the program for middle school students, we will also work with offices of education across the country to expand digital side effect prevention education."















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