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When Microsoft releases its next-generation Windows operating system in Korea next week, local Internet users will find that it doesn't work with many of their favorite Web sites. A Hangul version of the new OS, called Vista, hits shelves Jan. 31, but the new OS is incompatible with many Korean online banks, portals, games sites and malls.
Three government bodies -- the Ministry of Information and Communication, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, and the Financial Supervisory Service -- warned Tuesday about the expected confusion. The problem is that Vista doesn't play well with a software program called Active-X that is widely used in Korean Internet sites. Without support for Active-X, online services that Koreans use everyday like banking, stock trading, and shopping won't be available. Vista users will also experience problems with government sites in applying for and printing documents and certificates.
The trouble is set to begin when PC users buy new computers with the new OS installed or upgrade to Vista from their current Windows systems. Most PCs from major brands sold since October come with an option to upgrade to the new OS. In February, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will start mailing upgrade programs to their PC customers so they can install Vista. The number of upgraders in Korea is estimated at 700,000. Computer experts advise that Internet users check with their online banks or portals before installing Vista.
¡ß Internet Banking Temporarily Unavailable
Microsoft knew of the coming problems and has been working with online service providers to fix the problem, but programming delays mean that the online service of seven banks won't work with Vista until February: Kwangju Bank, CitiBank, Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank, Hana Bank, the National Agricultural Cooperatives Federation, and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.
Internet portals are also trying to deal with the issue. An official from NHN, a major Korean portal, said, "We are working on our online payment system to adapt it to Vista, but we're not sure if we can finish the task by the end of January." Daum and Nate are also adjusting their systems but don't expect to be Vista-ready until mid-February.
Online shopping malls are scrambling, too. Melon, SK Telecom's music downloading service, says it won't be able to solve the problem until March. Hmall, an Internet shopping mall, and Yes24, an online bookstore, hope to have things in order in February. GS e-Shop and GS e-Store are also working to accommodate Vista-installed PCs.
It's not just Internet services that will be affected; some software won't work with Vista either. Part of software maker Haansoft's "Hangul," a Korean-language word processor, is not functioning in Vista. An official from Haansoft said they are trying to have the program fully functioning with Vista by February.
¡ß Avoid Vista Until Problems Are Solved
With just a week to go before Vista comes out, much remains to be done but Microsoft has declined to postpone the release. "We've been testing Vista with banks and other service providers since September, but we encountered more delays than we expected," a Microsoft official said. "We plan to release the product as scheduled."
There's not much the government can do, either. "We can't tell a private enterprise to postpone the release of a new product," an official from the Ministry of Information and Communication said. The best thing, the official said, is for Internet users to check with their service providers to see if there will be any problems before they use Vista. In other words, don't install Vista before you know what you're getting into. The Ministry of Information and Communication said it will publish on its homepage (http://www.mic.go.kr) a timetable to show when major portals, games, and shopping malls, become Vista-compatible.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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