Joshua Kim - Reform UK MS
Joshua Kim (Joshua Seungkyun Kim) — Reform UK MS
Full Name: Joshua Seungkyun Kim (Korean: 김승균 / Gim Seung-gyun)
Born: Seungkyun Kim, South Korea
Party: Reform UK (Reform UK Wales)
Constituency: Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni
Took Office: 8 May 2026
Title: Member of the Senedd (MS)
Residence: Machen, Caerphilly County Borough, Wales
Occupation prior to election: Supply teacher in Cardiff
Biography
Joshua Seungkyun Kim is a South Korean-born Welsh politician who made history as the first person of Korean descent ever elected to any parliament in the United Kingdom. He represents the Reform UK party for the newly created constituency of Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), having been elected in the 2026 Senedd election.
Kim is an immigrant from South Korea who settled in Wales. He worked as a supply teacher in Cardiff and lives in the village of Machen in Caerphilly County Borough.
Political Career
2024 UK General Election
Kim stood as the Reform UK candidate for the Caerphilly constituency in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, though he did not win the seat.
2026 Senedd Election
He was placed third on Reform UK's candidate list for the Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency in the 2026 Senedd election. Under the new proportional voting system (six seats per constituency), Reform UK won three of the six seats in this constituency alongside Plaid Cymru (three seats), with Labour losing their incumbent, Alun Davies.
"Supply Teacher" Viral Moment
Kim gained significant media attention for his unlikely path to becoming an MS:
- He arrived late to the election count because he was teaching as a supply teacher that day. He opted not to attend the count earlier as it would have meant losing a day's pay.
- Upon winning the sixth and final seat, he was reported by the BBC as being "distraught, utterly shocked and confused", telling reporters he "did not think for one minute" that he would be elected.
- However, in his own interview with the Caerphilly Observer upon arrival at the count, he gave a more measured account: "I always knew there was a chance, but I wouldn't say I was confident. And you can see from the result, it was pretty close."
Election Results — Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni 2026
| Party | Seats Won | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | 3 | 42.0% |
| Reform UK | 3 | 34.3% |
| Labour | 0 | 11.1% |
| Conservative | 0 | 4.8% |
| Green | 0 | 3.5% |
| Liberal Democrat | 0 | 1.8% |
| Others | 0 | 2.3% |
Turnout: 47.6% (of 146,732 registered voters)
The six elected MSs for the constituency:
- Plaid Cymru: Delyth Jewell, Lindsay Whittle, Niamh Salkeld
- Reform UK: Llŷr Powell, Catherine Cullen, Joshua Kim
Personal
- Of South Korean origin; his birth name is Seungkyun Kim, anglicised to Joshua Seungkyun Kim.
- Lived and worked in Wales as a supply teacher.
- Lives in Machen, a village between Caerphilly and Newport.
- First Korean-descended member of any UK parliament (Westminster, Senedd, Scottish Parliament, or Northern Ireland Assembly).
Key References
- The Chosun Daily (2026-05-11) — "英 웨일스 의회에 한국계 첫 입성… 영국개혁당 조슈아 김" (First Korean-descendant enters UK Welsh Parliament... Reform UK's Joshua Kim) — chosun.com
- BBC News (2026-05-08) — Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency results — bbc.com
- Caerphilly Observer (2024-07-03) — Child poverty, cost-of-living, and food bank use hot topics at election hustings — caerphilly.observer
- South Wales Argus (2024-07-04) — General election: Candidates for Caerphilly — southwalesargus.co.uk
- Wales Online (2026-03-25) — Reform UK publishes full list of candidates for Wales' Senedd election — walesonline.co.uk
- Caerphilly Observer (2026-05-08) — Plaid Cymru win Senedd Election 2026, but without a majority — caerphilly.observer
- BBC News (2026-05-09) — Live coverage (mentions Kim's "distraught" reaction) — bbc.co.uk
- The Asia Business Daily / 아시아경제 (2026-05-11) — First Korean-British Lawmaker Elected to Welsh Parliament Amid Reform UK Surge
- 매일경제 (Maeil Business Newspaper) (2026-05-11) — Coverage of first Korean lawmaker in Welsh Senedd
- Wales Online (2026-05-09) — The new Senedd Members joining Wales' Parliament — walesonline.co.uk
Notes
- Wikipedia page created around 20 May 2026
- Category tags on Wikipedia: Living people, Reform UK members of the Senedd, Wales MSs 2026–2031, Reform UK parliamentary candidates, South Korean emigrants to the United Kingdom, British people of Korean descent, Welsh people of Asian descent
- No confirmed personal social media accounts (Twitter/X, LinkedIn) found at time of research (May 2026)
- Senedd official profile page not yet live at time of research