The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs is a national policy research institute run by the Prime Minister’s Office to increase the quality of life for Koreans by improving the national healthcare, social security, social welfare, and social policy and by establishing long-term and short-term development plans. A director’s term of office is for three years.

Professor Kim is a former director of the Korea Finance Association and a past president of the Korea Social Security Society. He holds a BA, MA, and a PhD in Economics from the University of Erlangen Nuremberg in Germany. He was also an active member of ‘A pan-national consultative body’ to reform the public servant pension system.