Kim's research is focused on the elementary particle theory and particle cosmology. He suggested the invisible axion model known as the
KSVZ (Kim–Shifman–Vainshtein–Zakharov) model, which provides a solution to the
strong CP problem in the
Standard Model. He also advocated that the
axino, the supersymmetric dual of
axion, can be a strong candidate of
dark matter of our universe and contended that it might have played an important role in the formation of galaxies and may offer a significant part of the current energy density of the universe. His review about the neutral current gave a good understanding of the
Glashow–Salam–Weinberg model to the field. With H. P. Nilles, he formulated and presented the solution of the μ problem in
supergravity, then he led the calculation of the cosmological effect of the
gravitino.{{cite journal From the collapse effect of the supergraviton which interacts much weaker than a light axion or axino, Kim obtained the upper limit of the reheating temperature of the universe 109GeV and that made an early contribution of the field of cosmological research about heavy and weak interacting particles.{{cite journal He also did the first attempt to get the Standard Model from the
superstring theory. He contributed to the development of standard model from the higher-dimensional theories by reducing the dimensions of
orbifold and was absorbed in the
cosmological constant problem and gave a clue of the solution of it in 5d
spacetime. ==Honors and awards==