The ruling party is reviewing the introduction of a student-only smartphone that includes features designed to prevent excessive smartphone use.

Park Sung-joon (박성준), chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said after a closed-door Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday that the party would form a task force for the 'Alpha Phone' project, led by lawmaker Kim Young-ho (김영호).

The Democratic Party is pushing a plan to launch the Alpha Phone around next summer. The Alpha Phone refers to a smartphone that keeps functions students need, such as calls, texts, location checks and transit cards, while restricting social media services, games and access to harmful content.

The task force will operate in the form of a so-called 'mini task force' proposed by Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok (김민석) to deliver results the public can feel in a short period. Kim, who heads the task force, has argued for the introduction of a student-only smartphone as a way to address smartphone addiction and exposure to harmful content.

Details such as how devices will be manufactured and distributed are expected to be finalised after discussions. The task force is known to be at a stage of reviewing views from students, parents and teachers on specific policy direction.

Separately, the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act in principle bans the use of smart devices during class to protect students' right to learn.