The head of South Korean-based conglomerate Samsung is vowing to root out corruption within the company after the resignation of a top executive at its arms-making unit.

Lee Kun-hee, the head of the conglomerate's flagship Samsung Electronics, made the pledge Thursday, a day after Oh Chang-suk stepped down as head of of subsidiary Samsung Techwin. A recent inspection of the defense and precison machinery unit found unspecified irregularities involving employees and the company's suppliers.

Lee said the most serious abuses involved pressuring staff members to commit corrupt acts.

A Samsung spokesman says Lee met with senior executives shortly after Oh's resignation and ordered that the company's auditing practices be reinforced.