The independent counsel ’ s spokesperson Lee Kyu - chul walks into a briefing room Monday , the day before the investigation on President Park Geun - hye ’ s corruption was due to close down . ( Yonhap ) The special counsel team looking into President Park Geun - hye ’ s corruption scandal is expected to indict up to 15 more suspects , including Samsung Group ’ s de facto boss Lee Jae - Yong , on the final day of its investigation that is scheduled to end Tuesday . Faced with the nearing end of its term , it decided to give up on summoning the suspended president for face - to - face questioning and raiding the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae for further evidence .   “ We will decide on whether or not to indict the suspects and hand them over en masse ( to the trial ) , ” said Lee Kyu - chul , the independent counsel ’ s spokesperson . In addition to the 13 suspects already sent to court for the trial , the probe team looks set to indict 10 to 15 more suspected of helping Choi Soon - sil -- a longtime friend of Park -- peddle influence in state affairs . The numbers are the largest - ever since South Korea first introduced an independent counsel system in 1999 . As for the billionaire heir apparent of Samsung , the probe team is likely to charge him for bribing two foundations controlled by Choi , with 43 billion won ( $ 37 . 3 million ) , as part of Lee ’ s efforts to tighten his grip on one of the world ’ s largest technology empires . President Park ’ s role is also considered a key reason that led the National Assembly to pass the impeachment resolution in December . Among suspects likely to be indicted Tuesday are the former president of the elite Ewha Womans University for allegedly giving favors to Choi ’ s daughter in university admission , and a private general practitioner for allegedly offering unauthorized anti - aging treatments to Park at the presidential office . The lack of time , however , has led the probe team to wrap up the investigation with some cases still remaining unresolved . It also finishes its investigation without summoning for questioning -- and searching the office of -- the suspended president . “ It is unfortunate that we couldn ’ t carry out the in - person questioning amid a disagreement with President Park ’ s legal team on how to proceed with the questioning , ” the spokesman said . Until recently , both Park ’ s legal team and the investigators were negotiating the questioning schedule but failed to reach a conclusion due to a “ disagreement on how to secure transparency and fairness in the course of the questioning . ” It is also likely for the probe team to let state prosecutors decide on the fate of another of Park ’ s key aides , Woo Byung - woo . The 50 - year - old former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs is suspected of having abetted a wide range of irregularities committed by both Park and Choi , while in office from 2015 to 2016 . By Bak Se - hwan ( sh @ heraldcorp . com ) [ 코리아 헤럴드 ] [ K - POP HERALD ] [ 페이스북 ] <ⓒ KoreaHerald ( www . koreaherald . com ) 무단 전재 및 재 배포 금지 >