김재근 교수는 한국의 장애인시설에서 자원봉사를 하면서 장애인의 인권 침해 및 자립생활의 중요성을 깨달았다. 그 후 일본 릿교대학교 Community 복지학부와 연구과에 재학하면서 장애인복지를 연구하였다. 장애인 자립생활센터(CIL)의 중증장애인 활동보조원을 하면서 동경도 자립생활센터 협의회에서 근무하기도 하였다. 또한 전국장애인자립생활센터협의회가 중심이 되어 한국에 자립생활을 전파하는 사업에 통역 및 코디네이터로 참가하였다. 릿교대학교에서 박사학위 취득 후, 릿교대학교 장애인학생지원실 코디네이터로, 그 후 와세다대학교 인간복지학과에서 조교수로 3년간 근무하였고, 현재는 메지로대학교 인간복지학과에서 장애인복지론 및 사회복지사 자격관련 수업 등을 담당하고 있다.

Professor Jaekeun Kim, his volunteer work at a facility for people with special needs made him realize how important human rights violation issues and independent lifestyles are for people with special needs. He went to Japan to study afterwards, majoring in community welfare for people with special needs at Rikkyo University. Having worked as an assistant for the severely disabled at the Center for Independent Living (CIL), Kim worked at the Committee for the People with Special Needs (CIL) for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. He once played the role of an interpreter and coordinator for projects to promote independent living in Korea in association with the Korea Council of Centers for Independent Living. After his doctoral degree, he worked as a coordinator at the Office of Disabled Student Support at Rikkyo University and as an assistant professor in the Department of Welfare for the Disabled at Waseda University. Working at the Department of Welfare for the Disabled at Majiro University, he teaches the theory of welfare for people with special needs and classes related to the certification of social welfare workers.