BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kioppers was to meet Tuesday with South Korea's two biggest steelmakers, the South Korean companies said, a day after facing opposition from Japan's steel industry to a proposed merger with a rival mining company. BHP Billiton, the world's biggest mining company, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, is seeking to take over Rio Tinto. But its 150 billion dollars proposal was rejected earlier this month. Kioppers was expected to meet with Lee Kutaek, CEO of South Korea's largest steelmaker Posco, said company spokeswoman Ko Minjin. He was also to meet Hyundai Steel CEO Park Seungha, Hyundai Steel spokesman KT Park said. Kioppers' meetings in South Korea come after the Japan Iron and Steel Federation expressed opposition to the merger during his visit to Japan on Monday, calling it undesirable for industrial competition and pricing. After a merger, 60 percent of Japan's raw materials imports would have to come from the two companies, the federation said Monday.
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