A new chapter in Korean-American history has been written: the first-ever Korean-American U.S. Senator has been elected.

Andy Kim (42, Democrat), a three-term congressman, made history as he won the New Jersey Senate race held in conjunction with the presidential election on November 5. He is the first Korean-American to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Andy Kim, symbolizing the “Korean-American Dream,” is a second-generation immigrant and a prominent figure within the Democratic Party. Representing New Jersey, Kim brought his signature tenacity to the race, drawing the attention of political circles and the media with his commitment to break through establishment barriers. His victory takes him to the esteemed U.S. Senate seat.

Upon his victory, Kim acknowledged the unique honor of being the first Korean-American to hold a Senate seat in over 120 years of Korean-American history. He expressed his intention to approach the role with humility.

After his victory was confirmed, Kim addressed the press at a DoubleTree Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He said, "As I prepare to take on this role, I approach this moment with profound humility." He continued, "In American history, out of the roughly 600 million people who have been called Americans, only about 2,000 have had the privilege to serve in this capacity. In the 120-year history of Korean Americans, I am fortunate to have this opportunity." He emphasized his vision to "add a new chapter to history that has yet to be written."

Kim remarked, “There’s no doubt a new era of politics is beginning. The old ways are over. We didn’t just run a campaign, we built a movement to fix broken politics. Election Day is not the finish line; it’s the starting point.” Kim chose the Cherry Hill hotel as his location to deliver the acceptance speech because he lived there temporarily when his family first moved to New Jersey. “Some of my strongest childhood memories were made here,” he said. “I wanted to stand here tonight in this spot, to thank my parents, my family, and the state of New Jersey for giving a boy like me the chance to dream.”

■ Who Is Andy Kim?

Raised in South Jersey in his current district, Kim attended local public schools before moving on to Deep Springs College in California, known for its elite and immersive educational environment. He later graduated from the University of Chicago and went on to study as a Rhodes Scholar, earning a Ph.D. in international relations at Oxford University in England.

In September 2009, Kim joined the State Department as an Iraq expert. By 2011, he was serving in Kabul, Afghanistan, as a strategic adviser to the U.S. forces commander. From 2013 to February 2015, he held positions as an Iraq policy advisor at the Department of Defense and later at the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House, contributing to the U.S.-led efforts against the Islamic State (IS).

In November 2018, Kim won his first Congressional race, representing New Jersey's 3rd District as the state’s first Asian-American congressman by defeating Republican incumbent Tom MacArthur. His district, a predominantly white and sparsely Asian area in South Jersey, presented significant challenges, yet Kim went on to win reelection twice, serving three terms by 2022.