Samsung Group to abolish all groupwide tasks SEOUL , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Group , South Korea ' s largest business conglomerate , plans to abolish its groupwide tasks and let affiliates independently make business decisions , a group official said Monday . The plan is in line with Samsung ' s move to abolish the group ' s key future strategy office , which has been responsible for coordinating key affairs among affiliates . Samsung has said it will shut down the office as early as next month after the special prosecution team concludes its probe into a presidential influence - peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun - hye . Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo - ahn on Monday rejected a bid by the special prosecutors to extend the investigation . The rejection means that the investigation must be concluded by Tuesday . Samsung ' s de facto leader Lee Jae - yong , who was arrested earlier this month over his alleged role in the scandal , told lawmakers last December that he would abolish the group ' s future strategy office , which has come under criticism regarding the scandal . With the future strategy office being abolished , a personnel reshuffle of top executives would be conducted by each affiliate ' s board of directors , according to the official . The group ' s official website and blog sites will be closed , the official said . Samsung Group has also moved to halt a weekly meeting of top executives every Wednesday . Still , it remains unclear how the sprawling Samsung Group will coordinate groupwide affairs . Special prosecutors investigating the scandal accused Lee of paying bribes worth about US $ 40 million , among other charges . The bribes were allegedly paid to Park and her longtime friend to let Samsung smoothly push ahead with succession plans for Lee , including a controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015 , according to the prosecutors . ( END )