SEOUL, Sept 3 : South Korea's Samsung Group-affiliated insurance companies plan to acquire London-based reinsurance company Canopius by buying an additional 50 per cent share for more than 2 trillion won ($1.47 billion), the Korea Economic Daily reported on Thursday.

• The two Samsung insurers, Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance Co and Samsung Life Insurance Co, are expected to sign a deal to acquire the 50 per cent stake with major share owners including asset manager Centerbridge Partners, the report said, citing unnamed industry sources.

• Samsung Fire and Samsung Life currently hold a 40 per cent share in Canopius, the report said.

• Representatives of the two companies could not be immediately reached for comment.

• Samsung Life and Samsung Fire are expected to finance the purchase with dividends from Samsung Electronics, which posted a record operating profit in the second quarter, the report said.

• The two hold major stakes in the world's largest memory chip maker.

($1 = 1,358.2300 won)