South Korea: University internet curfews rile students

Students in South Korea are unhappy about night-time curfews being applied to internet access in their university halls of residence, it's reported.

Some universities specifically ban access to online gaming sites overnight, but others cut access to the internet altogether during set hours, the Korea Times website reports. For those studying at the Catholic University of Daegu or the Mokpo National Maritime University, going online from their halls of residence is banned from 01:00 to 06:00.

Officials say the restrictions are needed to ensure that sleeping students aren't disturbed by their roommates' computer habits. But it has led to complaints from those who need the study time. One student tells the site that he had no option but to use his mobile phone to access the internet one night, racking up a 150,000-won bill ($84; £54). "I had some reports that required a lot of online research," he says. "I had to work through late into the night to get it done, because I didn't have time in the daytime."

For universities, online gaming is one of the main reasons behind the curfew. "Some students complain that their roommates absorbed in online games shout and push the keyboard violently all night," says an official at Yonsei University, where the internet is cut off between 02:00 and 04:00. "It is a measure to prevent students from causing damage to others."

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