Industry sources report that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has formed a dedicated merger and acquisition (M&A) team under its newly established business support division, signaling an acceleration in its acquisition strategy.

The business support division, reorganized after Samsung Group disbanded its Future Strategy Office in November 2017, recently set up this specialized team.

Leading the group is Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Chung Hyun Ahn, who previously oversaw major acquisitions such as the company's purchase of U.S. automotive electronics firm Harman International Industries.

Harman, acquired by Samsung Electronics for $8 billion in 2017, now generates an annual operating profit of approximately 1 trillion won ($6.79 billion) and remains a key business segment for the company.

Industry analysts anticipate that Samsung Electronics will leverage this team to actively pursue M&A opportunities, aiming to cultivate new growth drivers.