Kim was named in the South Korea Universiade team for the 2009 Summer Universiade and played all six games. At the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, he was the regular center defender of South Korea under-20, and scored a goal in the last group match against the United States, which resulted South Korea's advancing to the knockout stage. He also played for the South Korea national futsal team and participated in the 2009 Asian Indoor Games. At the 2010 Asian Games, he won the bronze medal with South Korea under-23. During the 2012 Summer Olympics, Kim played as a valuable member and a major defender of the South Korean national football team. South Korea advanced to semi-finals in Olympics football for the first time and eventually won the bronze in the tournament, which was the first Olympic medal ever in Korean football history.