He started his political career in the 1960s as the deputy director of the department in the office of the Primer of North Korea.

In November 1970, at the 5th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, for the first time he became a deputy member of the Central Committee.

In June 1983, he assumed the position of chairman of the Economic Planning Commission of Ryanggang Province.

[1] From February 1989, deputy director of a government institution dealing with the central management of raw materials.

In June 1990, Jŏn Ha Ch'ŏl became the personal secretary of the then North Korean leader Kim Il-sung.