Korean Government moves against Microsoft

[mobil1_oils]

In yet another antitrust complaint against Microsoft Corp., the government said yesterday that it found the U.S. software giant to have unfairly used its monopoly position while selling its Windows operating system.

According to the Fair Trade Commission, the world's largest software maker allegedly indulged in unfair business practices by bundling its Media Player and MSN Messenger programs as part of its Windows operating system.

Media Player is a media streaming device, while MSN Messenger is a widely-used instant messaging program.

The complaint will be taken up at a staff meeting scheduled for next month, the Fair Trade Commission said.

The latest Korean government's findings follow a recent probe initiated by the European Union, which sued Microsoft for tying its Media Player program with the Windows operating system. The union's lawsuit is also hardly new as it comes after a 1999 court ruling that found Microsoft guilty of illegally using its monopoly power.

"To our knowledge, the Competition Policy Bureau passed over a report stating that Microsoft's sales practices are anticompetitive as they capitalizes on the company's dominant market position," said Park Sang-yong, spokesman for the anti-trust watchdog.

Responding to the report, Microsoft's Seoul office said it was "nothing new," adding that it will take necessary counter measures.

Industry watchers say that should the Fair Trade Commission rule Microsoft guilty of the alleged unfair practices, it may become a green light for other countries to penalize the software company.

As in most other countries, Microsoft has a huge presence here. Recently, it formed a marketing alliance with Samsung Electronics Co.'s Korea's largest electronics maker to promote a next-generation game console and high-definition television screens.

[url=\"http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2005/05/05/200505050019.asp\"]Source[/url]

[Scott]

/blink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':blink:\' /> I will be interested to see the outcome of this. If Media Player and Messenger come under this, doesn't that mean that IE could be at risk too? If so, I'm sure people over at spread firefox will be dancing if Microsoft is taken to court over bundling of IE.

[Tami]

Now now, you know that MS only bundled everything together to make it easier for the end user...it has nothing to do with trying to force people to use their products by integrating everything and not being able to remove unused elements was just an oversight on their part.....

[Scott]

Silly me, of course it was... /rolleyes.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':rolleyes:\' />