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S. Korea to Get New Versions of Windows
Microsoft to release four versions of Windows in South Korea that comply with antitrust ruling.
Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it would release new versions of Windows in
South Korea this week to comply with an antitrust ruling against the U.S. software
company.
Earlier this year, the Korea Fair Trade Commission fined Microsoft 32.5 billion
won ($34 million) and ordered it to provide two separate versions of Windows,
saying the company abused its dominant market position by tying certain software
to its Windows operating system.
In compliance with the ruling, Microsoft will release two new versions of Windows
on Thursday, a company official said on condition of anonymity, citing company
policy. One of them will be stripped of Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger
and the other carries links to Web pages that allow consumers to download competing
versions of such software, he said.
The move comes after a Seoul court last month rejected Microsoft's request
for a stay of the penalties while the company pursues a legal challenge to the
antitrust ruling.
Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft is pursuing an appeal to the Fair Trade Commission's
ruling in the Seoul High Court. That is unaffected by last month's decision
regarding the stay request.
Microsoft is engaged in a similar case in Europe.