Many time delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), Kim Rak-hui rose in the ranks of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), becoming a full member of its Central Committee in 1970.

[4] In the aftermath of the war, she drove rebuilding efforts on farms of the Kaechon area, for which she was awarded the title Hero of Labor in 1955.

In April 1990 Kim was appointed the chairwoman of the South Pyongan Province Rural Managerial Committee.

[4] That year she was made vice director of the WPK Agriculture Department, but continued to be an advisor to the South Pyongan committee.

[7] Her appointment was part of a reshuffle to elevate several provincial politicians to important posts in the Cabinet of North Korea.

It was speculated that the decline of her career was due to efforts to consolidate the rule of Kim Jong Un by personnel changes.

[3] For instance, North Korea expert Alexandre Mansourov counted her among "holdovers who failed to secure Kim's trust or demonstrate their value".

[12] After North Korean media reported on 18 February 2013 that Kim Rak-hui had died, her demotions were attributed to health issues instead.