Microsoft 사건에서 나타난 끼워팔기(tying)의 경쟁법적 검토

An Analysis of ‘Tying’ on Competition Law in Microsoft Case

최근 경쟁법적 차원에서 Microsoft 사건은 전세계적으로 문제되고 있다. 비교법적으로 보면, 각국의 사법부나 경쟁기관에 의한 주목할 만한 판결이나 결정이 계속되고 있다. Microsoft 사건은 다양한 법적 쟁점과 관련되지만, 그 중에서도 끼워팔기에 관한 법리는 핵심을 이룬다. 이에 관하여 미국 연방항소심 법원은 Microsoft가 운영체계인 Windows와 브라우저인 Internet Explorer의 끼워팔기한 행위에 대하여 당연위법 적용을 거부함으로써, 미국 반독점법상 허용될 수 있는 여지를 제공하였으며, 유럽의 EC 위원회는 운영체계인 Windows와 Window Media Player의 결합을 경쟁법에 반하는 것으로 판단하였다. 현재 우리나라에서도 Microsoft의 끼워팔기가 문제되고 있으며, 이와 같은 외국의 선행하는 판단의 검토와 독점규제법상 끼워팔기의 올바른 규율을 위한 논의의 필요성이 크다.

In recent years the problems of Microsoft Cases have been raised on competition law in the world. In the perspective of the comparative law, the judiciary and the competition authorities in many countries have given one after another judgments worthy of note in microsoft cases. Microsoft cases are relevant to the various legal disputes, but the rule of ‘tying’ is the most important issue of them. For example, the District of Columbia Circuit, federal Court of appeals in U. S. A., has rejected the application of per se illegal to the conduct of Microsoft Corporatioin, to tie Internet Explorer with Windows Operating System on 28 June 2001, and given the possibility of approval of this conduct on Antitrust Law to Microsoft Corporation. But on the other hand European Commission in European Union has concluded, after a five-year investigation, that Microsoft Corporation broke European Union competition law by leveraging its near monopoly in the market for PC operating systems onto the market for media players on 24 March 2004. At the present time, the conduct that Microsoft Corporation has tied Window Media Player and Instant Message Service(Messenger) with Windows Operating System has become the point at issue in Korea. An analysis of ‘Microsoft Cases’ in the perspective of comparative law is full of interesting suggestions to solve the problems of microsoft case in Korea and will contribute to the formation of the rule of tying in ‘Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Law’, competition law in Korea.