South Korea Fines Microsoft $32 Million
Less than a month after it reached a $30 million settlement with South Korean Internet portal Daum, Microsoft has been fined another $32 million by the country's Fair Trade Commission. The Korean FTC has also ordered Microsoft to unbundle its instant messaging client and media player from Windows, and link to competing software.
Daum and RealNetworks had previously complained to the country's antitrust watchdog in 2001 about the bundling. Although both companies have recently settled with Microsoft and dropped their claims, the KFTC said it would continue its investigation. The commission has demanded that Microsoft offer two separate versions of Windows in South Korea. One version must be stripped of Windows Messenger and Windows Media Player, while the other must include links directing customers to competing software downloads as an option.
