Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mishlert]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 28, 2005

Filed at 6:52 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. on Thursday said that an investigation by Korea's antitrust watchdog could lead to the withdrawal of Windows from the country, or to delays in introducing new versions of the operating system there.

Microsoft's competitive practices have been under investigation by the Korean Fair Trade Commission, which is looking into the company's inclusion into Windows of streaming media and instant messenger technology.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant has faced legal and regulatory antitrust actions worldwide because of its decisions to include various services in its operating system.

Earlier this month, Microsoft agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit with RealNetworks Inc. by paying up to $761 million in cash and services.

The Korean Fair Trade Commission said at the time that the RealNetworks settlement wouldn't have any effect on its investigation into Microsoft.

Seattle-based RealNetworks was among the companies that had filed complaints against Microsoft in Korea.

In its quarterly report filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Microsoft said the Korean commission could require the company to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market.

If that happened, ''it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea,'' the company said in the filing.

[Bulsajo]

[BigBlackEquus]

Here's a little more recent information. Get a load of the quote:

""A ruling could come as soon as Wednesday, a KFTC spokesman said.

"No matter what Microsoft does, we will proceed with our deliberation and discuss it again at a plenary session on Wednesday," Lee Tae-hwi said by telephone. "There is no change in our stance to fight unfair business practices.""


Don't they mean to say, "There is no change in our desire to give a Korean-based company (Daum) total control over instant messaging."


http://www.leadingthecharge.com/stories/news-0091908.html



SEOUL - Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) has threatened to withdraw its Windows software from South Korea South Korea if the country�s antitrust agency orders it to unbundle its Instant Messenger and Media Player from the operating system.

South Korea�s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has been investigating allegations that the world�s top software maker breached antitrust laws by incorporating the services into Windows.

"If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea," Microsoft said in a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday.

The KFTC began its probe in 2001 when South Korean Internet portal Daum Communications Corp. (035720.KQ) alleged Microsoft�s bundling of the operating system with other services broke antitrust rules. It widened the probe following a similar complaint from RealNetworks (Nasdaq:RNWK - news) in 2004.

A ruling could come as soon as Wednesday, a KFTC spokesman said.

"No matter what Microsoft does, we will proceed with our deliberation and discuss it again at a plenary session on Wednesday," Lee Tae-hwi said by telephone. "There is no change in our stance to fight unfair business practices."

Microsoft has previously said the complaint was without merit and that it would cooperate fully with the probe.

In the United States, Microsoft agreed to pay RealNetworks $761 million early this month to settle an antitrust suit accusing it of using its dominance to promote its own Media Player.

After the agreement, RealNetworks said it was dropping similar suits in South Korea and Europe.

But the Korean commission has said its investigation would not be affected by the settlement.

Microsoft on Thursday posted a 24 percent rise in quarterly profit on robust sales of Windows, but tempered expectations of a sales spike.