[3][4][5] Upon returning to Korea in 1968, Sohn contributed to the founding of Samsung Electronics.

In 1993, Sohn was appointed CEO of CheilJedang and laid the groundwork for what would become CJ Group.

[6] As CJ Group chairman since 1993, Sohn oversaw the company's expansion into other sectors such as entertainment, logistics, and beauty.

[10] KEF has become known for representing business leaders' perspectives on government economic policies.

[14][full citation needed] He received the Order of Do'stlik (Friendship) from Uzbekistan (2011), the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan (2017),[15] and the Van Fleet Award from The Korea Society (2018).