More elementary school students are becoming addicted to smartphones, according to the Ministry of Education.

The number of elementary school students at risk of smartphone addiction rose by more than 20 percent this year from the previous year, according to a report released by the ministry.

Some 131,000 children from grades 1-6 are at risk this year, the ministry said. Meanwhile, the number of middle and high school students who are potential smartphone addicts decreased from 229,877 last year to 173,416 this year.

Among 1.5 million students nationwide who participated in the survey, 11.9 percent are in danger of smartphone addiction, while 6.7 percent are at risk of Internet addiction, the ministry report said.