According to ward offices in Seoul on Tuesday, an increasing number of crossing traffic signals have been installed to improve the safety of pedestrians who are glued to their smartphones.

As of Tuesday, about 1,200 in-ground crosswalk traffic signal systems were in use across the city's 25 boroughs, with the southern ward of Gangnam managing 138 of them, according to Yonhap News Agency. The supplementary LED traffic lights, which are placed on the ground at the foot of a crossing, are intended to guide pedestrians who are distracted by their phones, sometimes known as "smartphone zombies."

Ward offices in Seoul are attempting to expand such in-ground traffic light systems in order to address the rising traffic safety risks posed by smartphone zombies. Some have complained about glare at night, but authorities say the system has been well accepted throughout the city, particularly in school zones.

"They were initially adopted as a supplementary traffic signal system for smartphone zombies, but they proved to be effective in keeping youngsters away from the road," stated a Gangnam official.

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