By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

The Seoul Metropolitan Council plans to draw up draft regulations next week to ban the use of cell phones at primary and secondary schools.

For elementary schools, the rules would mean that students can't come to school with phones. Middle and high schools would collect cell phones and return them after school.

``Cellular phones could harm the study atmosphere at schools and could cause health risks for kids. It is desirable to prohibit students from using cell phones at schools,'' said Lee Jong-eun, head of the city council for education and culture. ``We will set up the regulation this year after collecting opinions from those in various fields.''

About 30 percent of 1,250 schools in the city currently ban students from carrying mobile phones.

Earlier, the council of South Gyeongsang Province also proposed banning students from carrying and using cell phones, with the passage expected in August.

kswho@koreatiemes.co.kr