Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's top tech firm, said Thursday that its senior executives and overseas operations chiefs will gather in Seoul later this month to discuss next year's business strategy amid a slump in its mainstay business -- handsets.

The business strategy meeting will include about 500 executives, according to Samsung.

"Participants will discuss ways to tide over a low growth trend," said a Samsung official.

The company has scheduled two rounds of two-day meetings on Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 22-23, while the world's largest handset maker is suffering a setback in its mobile business.

On Thursday, the country's leading conglomerate said that it would launch an automotive electronics division, a move that may diversify its business portfolio and reveal a new revenue source.

Samsung, also a leading global chipmaker, has been increasing its presence in the automotive semiconductor chip market, as global automakers are rushing to produce high-tech vehicles such as electric cars equipped with infotainment systems and wireless networking. (Yonhap)