( LEAD ) Prosecutors to indict up to 15 Tuesday as they wrap up probe into presidential scandal ( ATTN : UPDATES with reaction from president ' s lawyer in paras 9 - 10 ) SEOUL , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- Special prosecutors plan to indict up to 15 more suspects later this week on the final day of their investigation into a massive scandal involving President Park Geun - hye and her confidante , their spokesman said Monday . The independent counsel team is set to end its 70 - day probe on Tuesday as Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo - ahn refused to extend its legal term on Monday . Spokesman Lee Kyu - chul said the team will indict 10 to 15 people in addition to 13 suspects currently on trial over their involvement in the mega scandal that led to President Park ' s impeachment late last year . Samsung Group ' s de facto leader Lee Jae - yong , who is in custody , and other senior executives are expected to be charged with bribing Park ' s jailed friend Choi Soon - sil . A former university president suspected of offering favors to Choi ' s daughter and a doctor believed to have provided unauthorized medical treatments to Park are also likely to face indictment . The team will end its probe without questioning the president and searching the presidential office . The negotiations for a face - to - face interrogation of Park fell apart due to the two sides ' difference on how to secure transparency and fairness in the course of the questioning , the probe team ' s spokesman told reporters during a regular press briefing . " The independent counsel team wanted to record and videotape ( the interrogation ) to prevent unexpected situations in the course of the interrogation , but the presidential side maintained that they cannot accept recording or videotaping , " Lee said . " It was a decisive factor in the failure ( to reach an agreement on the questioning ) . " Park ' s lawyer Yoo Yeong - ha immediately released a statement and said the plan foundered because of the " unacceptable " request from the investigation team . " Under the law , there should be consent from the interviewee ( who is not a suspect ) in order for investigators to videotape the questioning , " Yoo said in the statement . " The independent counsel team insisted on recording and taping the procedure in order to shift the blame ( of the failure to carry out a questioning ) to the president ' s side . " The two sides had been discussing when and how to carry out the unprecedented inquiry of the country ' s incumbent president after their first attempt ended in failure earlier this month . They originally set the questioning date for Feb . 9 , but it was nullified after Park ' s side accused the prosecutors of leaking the schedule . The investigation team also decided to return the court - issued warrant to raid the presidential office . Its search and seizure attempt on Feb . 3 was halted by presidential aides due to security reasons . " We very much regret that we could not execute a warrant legitimately issued by the court and urge for a legislative solution , as suggested by the court , to prevent similar cases happening down the road , " Lee , the spokesman said . This file photo taken on Nov . 29 , 2016 , shows President Park Geun - hye bowing after addressing the nation over a political scandal involving her and her longtime friend Choi Soon - sil at the presidential office in Seoul . ( Yonhap ) scaaet @ yna . co . kr ( END )