SEOUL (AFP) -- Microsoft has unveiled new versions of its Windows operating system in South Korea to comply with an anti-trust body's ruling against the U.S. software giant, company officials said.

The move followed an order from the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to separate its Media Player and instant messaging programs from its operating system.

"Our two Windows XP versions designed exclusively for South Korea hit the market today," a Microsoft official said.

The South Korean watchdog has accused Microsoft of abusing its market dominance to undermine fair trade here.

It ruled in December that the US company had breached antitrust laws by selling its Windows operating system bundled with its media player and instant messaging programs.

Microsoft was also ordered to pay a 32.49 billion won (34 million dollar) fine and strip its popular software from its Windows operating systems.

Microsoft has said the release of new products for Korea -- the "K version" of Windows XP Home and the "KN version" of Windows XP Professional -- would not affect its legal fight against the ruling. It insists its business practice best serves its clients interest in South Korea.

The "K version" carries Media Player, Messenger and a website link for downloading competing versions of such software, and on the "KN version" the Media Player and Messenger are removed.

Microsoft has been locked in a string of costly disputes with its key rivals in the United States, South Korea and Europe.

The European Commission ruled in March 2004 that Microsoft should sell its Windows system without the Media Player software to ensure fair competition with European rivals.

In the 2004 ruling, the US company was also fined a record 497 million euros (588 million dollars) for abuse of its market position.

In October last year, Microsoft agreed to pay 761 million dollars to RealNetworks, a US firm marketing the "RealPlayer" audio-visual software.

A month later, Microsoft also sealed a 30 million dollar deal with South Korea's top Internet portal Daum to end a legal battle over the bundling of Messenger with Windows.