From February 2009 to January 2016 he was the director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the country's primary intelligence service.

He was appointed director of the United Front Department and served on the funeral committees of Kang Sok-ju and Ryu Mi-yong, and he was elected to the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.

His presence was controversial, mostly due to allegations that Kim was responsible for orchestrating an attack on a South Korean naval ship in 2010 that killed 46 sailors.

An article in the Hangook Ilbo warned that Kim's attendance could send "raging waves" throughout the Korean Peninsula, but the games closed without incident.

[7] On 24 April 2019, Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea has removed Kim Yong-chol from the head of the United Front Department.

[9] Also prior to the article on 24 June 2020, Kim Yong-chol condemned remarks by the South Korean defence minister when he called for "mutual efforts" to reduce tensions between the two Koreas.