SAMSUNG Group said yesterday it plans to carry out record investment and hiring this year as it seeks to strengthen international dominance of its mainstream businesses and also develop new ones.

South Korea's top business conglomerate said in a statement that it will invest 43.1 trillion won (US$38.4 billion) in 2011 for an increase of 18 percent over last year.

Samsung also said it will hire 25,000 people, an 11 percent rise over 2010.

Both figures are all-time highs, according to the statement.

Samsung Electronics Co, the group's flagship corporation, is a global technology leader and manufactures consumer products including televisions and mobile phones as well as components such as flat screens and computer memory chips.