South Korea Orders Microsoft to Pay Fine

Microsoft Corp. was found to have breached antitrust rules by South Korea, a ruling that may encourage regulators in Asia to challenge the company’s practice of selling programs in bundles.

Microsoft will have to un-bundle its Media Player and MSN Messenger programs from its Windows software within 180 days and pay a $32-million fine, the Fair Trade Commission said.

Microsoft lawyer Tom Burt said that the case was “without basis in law and in fact” and that the company would appeal.