[4][5] Thae was born in Myonggan County, North Hamgyong Province.
He was educated at Mangyongdae Revolutionary School and Kim Il Sung University.
He received his first important post in 1970 when he was appointed chief secretary of the North Pyongan WPK Provincial Committee.
Thae is described as "a highly experienced manager and can be identified as being part of the cohort of technocrats who have come back to power under Kim Jong Un".
[7] Thae became a member of the party's Central Military Commission in April 2019.