She was the second wife of North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung from their marriage in 1952 until his death in 1994.

[6] In 1965, she became vice-chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Korean Democratic Women's League (KDWL), and in 1971, she rose to be chairwoman.

[6][7] In 1976, Kim Song-ae lost her position as chair of the KDWL, which removed her communication channel to the public and effectively curbed her power base.

[6] In 1993, she was reinstated by Kim Jong Il as chair of the KDWL, but her position was purely symbolic and nominal, and she was removed a second time in 1998.

[9] Other reports claimed she was still alive as of July 2011, though in poor health, and that ambassador Kim Pyong-il returned to Pyongyang from his posting in Poland to visit her.