Seoul: Nearly one out of every two upper-grade elementary school students use smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, for more than two hours a day after school, a survey showed Monday. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union conducted the survey on 2,804 elementary school students in grades 4 through 6 from April 9-22 and released the results ahead of Tuesday's 104th Children's Day. Nearly half of them, or 49.2 percent, answered that they use smart devices for more than two hours after school.

According to Yonhap News Agency, specifically, 21.1 percent of students reported using smart devices for two to three hours, followed by 15.9 percent for three to four hours, and 12.2 percent for more than four hours. The survey also revealed that smart device usage increases as students progress in grade level. Conversely, only 4.7 percent of respondents said they do not use smart devices after school.

Notably, the survey highlighted that 7 in 10 respondents use generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Gemini. In response to a question about their experience using AI, 57.4 percent reported using it "occasionally," while 14.7 percent reported using it "frequently."