The Korean Video Journalists Association (KVJA), which represents about 800 video journalists from 47 broadcasting companies across South Korea, is now accepting entries for the 2026 Hinzpeter Awards from video journalists around the world whose work have highlighted issues of global importance and brought critical stories to international attention.
Co-organized with the May 18 Foundation, the awards honor the legacy of German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter, whose reporting helped reveal the truth about the 1980 Gwangju Democratisation Movement to the world. Both organisations aim to promote visual journalism that supports democracy, human rights, peace, and press freedom.
Now in its sixth year, the Hinzpeter Awards recognize outstanding visual journalism and documentary reporting on issues such as conflict, human rights, environmental challenges, disasters, and the experiences of marginalized communities. The awards feature five categories, namely: the World at a Crossroads Award, which serves as the Grand Prize; the News Award; the Features and Documentaries Award; the Yoo Young-gil Award; and the May 18 Gwangju Award. The Grand Prize winner will receive KRW 15 million and a trophy, while winners in the other categories will receive KRW 7 million and a trophy.
Applications are open from June 1 to July 17, 2026 (KST). Eligible works must have been aired or released between June 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, through television, online media outlets, or mobile platforms. Submitted works must address themes related to democracy, human rights, or peace.
Applicants must be video journalists working either for a media organisation or as freelancers. For team entries, the team leader must be a video journalist, and teams may include up to four members.
Entries must include the original video exactly as it was broadcast or published, an English script with timestamps, and completed application documents in PDF format. The recommended video format is H.264 MP4 with a resolution of at least 1080p, while scripts should preferably be submitted in TXT or SRT format.
The competition is divided into News, Features, and Documentaries categories. The News category is open to news reports of five minutes or less that have been broadcast through traditional media outlets or published on online and mobile platforms. The Features and Documentaries category covers feature reports aired as part of news programming, as well as documentary productions released independently or through online platforms. Theatrical films are not eligible for submission.
The World at a Crossroads Award will be presented to the best overall entry. Separate awards will recognize the top work in the News category and the Features and Documentaries category, while the Yoo Young-gil Award will honor an outstanding submission selected from all entries. Works that advance to the second round of judging will be recognized as finalists and featured on the official awards website and other promotional channels.
Meanwhile, the May 18 Gwangju Award is a non-competitive honor selected by a separate awards committee. It recognizes a current or former video journalist whose work has made a significant contribution to democracy, human rights, and peace.
Entries may be disqualified if the submitted work was not personally reported or produced by the applicant, if multiple versions of the same work are submitted, if fabricated or manipulated content is discovered, or if the organising bodies determine that there has been a serious violation of journalistic ethics.
For more information, please visit www.hinzpeterawards.com/hs/apply/apply.do. Submission of entries by email should be sent hinzpeterawards@gmail.com, all required materials must be submitted before the July 17, 2026, deadline.
