South Korean citizens who blocked armored vehicles and troops during the 2024 martial law crisis have been recommended for the Nobel Peace Prize. Professors, including Kim Eui-young from Seoul National University, submitted the nomination to the Norwegian Nobel Committee last month. Their nonviolent resistance is seen as a global example of overcoming a constitutional crisis amid declining democracy worldwide.
On February 19, 2026, in Seoul, professors announced that citizens who blocked armored vehicles and troops from entering the National Assembly during the 2024 martial law crisis have been recommended for the Nobel Peace Prize. This follows South Korea's worst political turmoil in decades after ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid, which was overcome through civilians' active resistance and the military's passive response.
Kim Eui-young, a professor of political science and international relations at Seoul National University, stated that he and other scholars, including current and former presidents of the International Political Science Association, submitted the nomination to the Norwegian Nobel Committee last month. The scholars described the citizens' actions as a global example of nonviolent resistance that overcame a constitutional crisis without civil unrest or repression.
"The world watched in amazement as South Korea overcame an insurrection and restored democracy in just six months at a time when democracy is declining globally," Kim said.
President Lee Jae-myung posted a message on social media platform X, praising South Korea as a country of "great citizens" that will remain a "model" for human history. In a special national address marking the one-year anniversary of the martial law imposition last December, Lee said the South Korean people fully deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
This recommendation highlights South Korea's democratic resilience and symbolizes people's sovereignty.
