A U.S. hedge fund, opposing a proposed merger of two Samsung Group units, has filed an appeal against a Seoul court's dismissal of its request to block the deal, the latest in a series of legal rows unfolding against South Korea's top conglomerate over the high-profile merger.
  

Nexus, a Seoul-based law firm representing Elliott Associate L.P., submitted a notice of appeal Friday to the Seoul Central District Court, according to the court. 
  

The objection came as the hedge fund has been seeking to stop Samsung C&T Corp., the construction arm of Samsung Group, from being merged with Cheil Industries Inc., the de facto holding firm of the conglomerate, saying it's a low-ball deal.
  

It has filed injunctions with the Seoul court asking it to stop C&T from holding a July 17 shareholder meeting at which the merger plan is scheduled to be put to a vote and also nullify the voting rights of KCC Corp., which has raised its stake in C&T by acquiring its treasury shares. The Seoul court rejected the first injunction on Wednesday.
  

An official from Elliott's Hong Kong-based office confirmed with Yonhap News Agency by phone that the fund has filed for an appeal.
  

The 8.9 trillion-won ($7.93 billion) takeover offer by Cheil is seen as a necessary step for a smooth leadership transfer to Lee Jay-yong, the heir apparent of the family-run group, from his father and the group's patriarch, Lee Kun-hee, who has been bedridden for over a year due to a heart attack.
  

In an online statement, Elliott expressed disappointment over the court decision, and said it "is confident that its position will be fully vindicated on appeal and remains committed to preventing the proposed takeover from being consummated." (Yonhap)