Samsung Group website, blogs shut down

Official websites and blogs of Samsung Group, which disbanded its corporate strategy office in February, were shut down Monday in what was seen as an attempt by the country’s largest conglomerate to improve its public image.

The group’s website and blogs were used to advertise the conglomerate’s history, philosophy and corporate social responsibly activities of Samsung affiliates. The website www.samsung.com is now automatically redirected to the Samsung Electronics website.

On Feb. 28, Samsung Group dismantled its strategy office to take responsibility for its involvement in a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the arrest of the group’s de facto leader Lee Jae-yong.

The group has not decided yet how to operate CSR activities operated under Samsung Group’s name, according to a Samsung official.

“We are still discussing whether to scrap all CSR activities or to transfer them to other affiliates,” the official said.

Samsung’s recruitment website will be continue to operate. However, instead of group-wide twice-a-year recruitment events, affiliates are likely to have different dates and processes for recruitment starting from the second half of the year, the official said.

The last mission left for the group is how to defend the vice president of Samsung Electronics in upcoming trials. The formal trial against Lee is scheduled to begin Friday.

Lee was arrested in mid-February on charges of giving or promising some 43.4 billion won ($38.9 million) to Park’s longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, as kickbacks in return for helping him secure control of the group through a merger of two key units.

Lee has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the presidential office coerced Samsung into providing financial assistance to Choi and her daughter.

By Park Ga-young (gypark@heraldcorp.com)