In 1998, Jin was named to the South Korea national baseball team that won the gold medal in the Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

In the 2000 season, the Lions signed All-Star veteran Kim Dong-soo and made Jin return to the backup catcher.

Upon Kim Dong-soo's departure through free agency to the SK Wyverns in the winter of 2001, Jin earned the full-time position behind the plate for the Lions.

He played for South Korea at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, and led his team to the bronze medal, sharing the starting position behind the plate with Hong Sung-heon and Cho In-sung.

In the gold medal game against Cuba, Jin was unexpectedly sent back behind the plate right after his fellow catcher Kang Min-ho was ejected by the plate umpire for arguing strikes and balls in the bottom of the ninth inning, and contributed to escaping the one-out bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play along with closer Chong Tae-hyon to edge Cuba 3-2.