Microsoft Threatens To Withdraw Windows in S.Korea

RocketJeff writes "South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has been investigating Microsoft since 2001 for violations of South Korea's antitrust rules. According to a Reuters article, part of a recent Microsoft regulatory filing states 'it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea.' Basically, Microsoft is threatening to take their marbles and go home if they don't get the ruling they want."

Comments

S. Korea will pull ahead of the US in another way

[geekpuppySEA]

First they're ahead of the US on stem cell research because of the bloviating Christian Right (and our blowhard president who kowtows to them), and now if they give up the stranglehold of MS they'll be way ahead of the US on IT costs...

Good thing they make sucky movies!

Self evident Astroturf?

[twitter]

... shitty customer, I'm gonna ban you from my store" play seems perfectly reasonable to me."

Do you work for the Microsoft Marketing Department? You've got all the marks, poor reasoning ability, abrasive attitude, arrogance toward the customer and common language.

Insulting your customers is bad business.

Demanding other countries change their laws to meet your whims is insane. It's not a matter of them just not selling Windoze in South Korea, it's a matter of them 'withdrawing' from the market. When you are talking about something you don't own but only have permission to use, withdrawal means a forfit of legal use. The is the full flexure of Microsoft's means. It's a stupid bluff, for no other reason than it may be called without much loss.

Now, add to the above the full PR effect. They are really out of their minds. Microsoft can just about kiss government sales outside the US goodbye after this one.