Timor-Leste President Ramos-Horta wins 2026 Internet Peace Prize
President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste speaks during a joint press statement with President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Friday. Newsis
Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, received this year’s Internet Peace Prize at the National Assembly on Friday.
The Sunfull Foundation, chaired by Chung-Ang University professor and anti-cyberbullying activist Min Byoung-chul, jointly hosted the event with the Assembly’s Sunfull Committee at Sarangjae, a hanok-style event space on the grounds of the National Assembly. Lawmakers, foreign ambassadors and people who worked on Sunfull's most recent campaign against artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes attended.
“I hope this event will deepen friendship and cooperation between Korea and Timor-Leste and foster greater international effort to create a peaceful and safe digital environment,” Rep. Song Seok-jun, chairman of the Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said.
The award honors individuals or organizations that help curb malicious online speech while advancing human rights and world peace, according to the foundation. Ramos-Horta shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, fourth from left in the front row, and Sunfull Foundation Chairman Min Byoung-chul, fifth from left in the front row, pose with dignitaries at the 2026 Internet Peace Prize award ceremony at Sarangjae on the grounds of the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Sunfull Foundation
The ceremony followed the foundation’s September declaration against harmful AI-created deepfakes and malicious online comments, which brought together lawmakers, diplomatic representatives from 13 countries, teachers and students to call for greater protection of human dignity online.
The foundation highlighted growing international efforts to address deepfake-related harm, citing legislative and regulatory measures in Korea, the United States and Europe.
“Protecting people’s dignity from AI deepfakes and hateful online comments is a bipartisan responsibility,” said Rep. Lee Jeong-heon, co-chair of the Assembly’s Sunfull Committee. “The National Assembly will work to ensure that the Sunfull movement’s efforts to promote digital peace are firmly embedded in policy.”
Launched in 2007 in response to deaths linked to malicious online comments and digital harassment, the Sunfull movement — named after the Korean term for positive comments — has grown into a wider campaign with approximately 849,000 participants, generating more than 10 million supportive messages over the past 19 years, according to the foundation.
“President Ramos-Horta’s decision to forgive those who tried to assassinate him shows the way forward for digital peace in the AI era,” Min said. “I hope the 2026 Internet Peace Prize will resonate deeply in a world rife with abusive language and hate speech, offering a valuable lesson for our times.”