[Weekly Kyunghyang] The youth media outlet ‘Clover’, whose reporters, editor, and publisher are all minors, publishes a print newspaper once a month. It also posts articles on its website. However, ‘Clover’ is not recognized as media. Under current law, if the editor or publisher is a minor, it cannot register as a periodical such as a newspaper or magazine, nor as an online newspaper. On February 24, editor-in-chief Moon Seong-ho (16), reporter Cho Jun-su, and the unincorporated association ‘Clover Newspaper’ filed a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court, arguing that these legal provisions infringe fundamental rights.

We met editor Moon on March 2 at Kyunghyang Shinmun in Jung-gu, Seoul. He said more youth media should exist to deliver the voices of young people to society, to support democratic and civic education for youth, and to open paths for dialogue with adolescents who have shifted to the far right. To make that possible, he said, youth media must be protected within the framework of the law.

‘Clover’ began in April 2024 as a school club at a middle school in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, and in May 2025 it was founded as an unincorporated association, with students from four middle schools in Eunpyeong-gu working as reporters. This year, as editor Moon and some reporters advanced to high school, 30 middle and high school student reporters are active. In less than two years, ‘Clover’ has grown into a youth media outlet noted by youth and adult citizens both inside and outside the district, as well as by established media.

Last October, in protest against a school's move to ban distribution of the ‘Clover’ newspaper at a middle school, it published a blank front page, drawing attention. While continuing coverage of adolescents who had shifted to the far right after the 12·3 emergency martial law extra edition, it also drew notice with an article featuring a conversation with ‘Teenage Yoon Again’. As support for ‘Clover’ increased, its recent print run rose to 1,000 copies.

Although it acts as media, it is not recognized as such. According to Article 20 of the Act on the Promotion of Periodicals Including Magazines and Article 13 of the Act on the Promotion of Newspapers, when those responsible for newspapers, magazines, or online newspapers (the editor or publisher) are minors, they are deemed disqualified as registrable media. Editor Moon said, “When the law distinguishes between adults and minors, for example the rule ‘do not sell alcohol or cigarettes to minors’ is based on research showing particular harm to youth, so it cannot be seen as discrimination. But there is no legitimate reason to categorically block registration of media that express the voices of young people, who are members of society. I believe these provisions restrict the basic rights of freedom of the press and publication and the right to equality.” He also said that because ‘Clover’ cannot operate as a registered medium, it restricts the freedom of occupational choice.

Because it cannot register as a newspaper, there are practical difficulties in publishing the paper and running the outlet. Editor Moon said, “As our print run has increased recently, mailing costs for the newspaper are about 500,000 KRW per month,” adding, “Registered periodicals receive a 50% discount on postage, but as an unregistered newspaper we do not receive it.” He continued, “In conflicts with reporting subjects, we do not receive protections such as undergoing mediation procedures at the Press Arbitration Commission, and we bear the burden of being drawn straight into litigation.” Although no case has actually proceeded to a lawsuit, he said they have felt constrained during reporting and writing. “When writing articles exposing wrongdoing at a school or foundation, we were confident it was reporting in the public interest, but out of concern that it could become the target of a lawsuit, there were cases where we could not use real names,” he said.

In 2012, the Constitutional Court reached a decision of constitutionality on a similar petition, stating that “minors are highly likely to lack the capacity for judgment or decision-making and the ability to fulfill the social responsibilities of the press.” The Court viewed that the provisions only restrict minors from serving as publisher or editor, and that minors can still participate in publishing and editing as reporters, executives, and in other roles. It also cited as grounds that the qualification is not deprived outright, but merely deferred until reaching the age of majority. Editor Moon said, “We could place parents or adult sponsors in the roles of publisher or editor and continue our activities, but they would then be seated in positions bearing responsibility for articles they did not write, and the purpose of being a media outlet created by youth would inevitably be diluted.”

‘Clover’ reported in 2024 on how teenagers were excluded from Seoul’s public-transport discount program, the “Climate Companion Card,” and from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s discount program, the “K-Pass.” Last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government changed its policy so that adolescents could also receive benefits. Editor Moon said, “‘Clover’ has run reporting that drives social change, and we have reported and written articles through the same procedures as established media.”

“Media created by adults also cause serious harm to society. Outlets like ‘Jeon Han-gil News’ or ‘Sky Daily’ (which report conspiracies) exist, do they not? There are also many outlets that simply copy press releases. Recognizing youth media as media in itself will not harm society. If there is such a youth outlet, it should instead be managed within the bounds of the law.”

Editor Moon said the recent debates over “voting rights” and “juveniles under the Act” reveal society’s double standards toward minors.

Ahead of the June local elections, which will be held together with superintendent elections, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok proposed in February lowering the statutory voting age under the Public Official Election Act from the current 18 to 16. People Power Party lawmakers Kim Jae-seop and Kim Min-jeon then introduced amendment bills. Progressives have generally supported lowering the voting age, while conservatives have opposed it, so Jang’s proposal was interpreted as aiming at the increasingly conservative teenage male vote. Editor Moon said, “From conversations with young people we met during reporting, they are clearly becoming conservative and far-right,” adding, “In line with that assessment, it seems the People Power Party proposed this with this year’s local elections in mind.”

While saying the voting age should be lowered, editor Moon added, “For now, more votes supporting the People Power Party may come out of elections, but granting voting rights to youth is also a way to escape the quagmire of far-right radicalization.” He said, “Teenagers today consume far-right content alone on smartphones. Rather than scolding them or simply forbidding it, we should first bring them into the school space and make them discuss and talk,” adding, “If an election is held, discussion and debate can begin immediately, and that can create an opening to break away from far-right tendencies.” Editor Moon said, “It is hard to find youth-specific pledges during elections,” adding, “There are only pledges aimed at adults such as parents, cram schools, and teachers.” He continued, “Candidates should listen to what young people think and craft pledges, but because they make pledges by looking at those who have votes, they are failing to guarantee the rights of young people.”

President Lee Jae Myung, after receiving a report from the Ministry of Justice at a cabinet meeting on February 24 that “full-fledged discussion is needed on lowering the age standard for criminal minors (juveniles under the Act),” said, “Let us bring this to public debate and reach a conclusion within two months.” Juveniles under the Act refers to those aged 10 or older but under 14 who commit offenses and receive protective dispositions such as community service or commitment to a juvenile facility instead of criminal punishment. The age standard has remained unchanged since the Criminal Act was enacted in 1953, but in recent years social concern over offenses by juveniles under the Act has grown, leading to calls to lower the standard. The government is expected to form a public deliberation committee with the Ministry of Gender Equality at its core.

Editor Moon said, “When proposing to lower the voting age, people say minors have immature judgment, but with the logic that ‘if you are a current middle schooler, you already know everything and are fully grown,’ they try to lower the age for juveniles under the Act,” adding, “Adults look at youth only as they want to see them, applying a double standard.” He said, “Lowering the age for juveniles under the Act moves society toward protecting young people less,” and added, “There seems to be a tendency to generalize from certain youth offenses that appear in the news.”

When ‘Clover’ was a school club, it first tried to publish only online, but because smartphones could not be used at school, it posted a wall poster in the school’s central entrance. When that poster was moved to a corner under school policy, they printed on A4 paper and handed it out. As they changed formats out of a “wish that more people would see it,” reporters gathered from several schools, and it took root as a monthly newspaper. Before the number of supporters grew at the end of last year, they even considered halting publication because finances were poor. Editor Moon said, “We filed the constitutional complaint also with the intention of putting a shield in place for future youth media while ‘Clover’ still exists as a youth outlet in comparatively better financial condition.”

There are not many media outlets like ‘Clover’ that operate as independent organizations rather than being subordinate to a school or particular institution and that voice the views of young people. Finding ways to do everythingreporting, writing, laying out and publishing the print edition, managing the website, and securing advertisements and donationshas been up to the members of ‘Clover’. Editor Moon said, “There is no place that teaches how youth media are created or how to report and write,” adding, “It is not that youth media never existed, but that there are no records. They remain only in the memories of people who say they created youth media.” He continued, “We are not certain ‘Clover’ will continue,” adding, “We intend to leave ‘Clover’s activities as a record.”

Editor Moon said, “One reason given for not recognizing youth publishers and editors is that the right is merely deferred because they can do it as adults, but there are things that can be done only during youth.” ‘Clover’ reports on youth issues inside and outside school, from individual school rules to a bylaw extending cram school operating hours, the student human rights ordinance, school uniform costs, and cafeteria workers’ strikes. It also covers, from “a youth perspective,” topics such as far-right adolescents, visits to community villages in the district, and the realities of crackdowns on immigrants in the United States. Editor Moon said, “We fill gaps that adults do not see.”

Media play the role of gathering and publishing the views of those directly concerned with social issues. Editor Moon said, “Seen from youth society, there are issues young people can feel directly, from debates over school uniform rules to education policies proposed in superintendent elections,” adding, “Media are needed to convey the views of young people to society.” For adolescents who are asked to devote much time to academics, the presence of youth media raises their understanding of social and political issues. Editor Moon said, “The more intense the academic pressure, the more, even to get out from under it, young people need to take an interest in the social and political issues surrounding them and express their views.” In that sense, he said, “Youth media are a site of education for democracy an citizenship that schools should provide but do not.”