Microsoft Strips Down XP for South Korea

After speculating it might withdraw from the South Korean market entirely, Microsoft will release versions of Windows XP for South Korea which comply with antitrust rulings.

Although Microsoft hasn’t yet made a public statement about it, the Associated Press and other outlets are reporting that Microsoft plans to ship new versions of its Windows XP operating system to the South Korean market. The new versions comply with South Korean antitrust rulings which found Microsoft abused its monopoly position in the operating system market to tie new technologies to Windows.

One new version of Windows XP will reportedly be stripped if Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger; the other will carry links to Internet sites where users can download competing media player and messaging software.

The move comes after Korea’s Fair Trade Commission upheld a finding—and a $34 million fine—last May, and rejected a stay of its injunctions against Microsoft pending appeal. The KFTC warned Microsoft it would take corrective action if the company did not comply with its rulings. In late 2005, Microsoft publicly speculated it would consider withdrawing from the South Korean market if regulators did not vacate their rulings against Microsoft’s bundled software services.

Microsoft is still pursuing an appeal of the KFTC’s findings against the company.