South Korea Suspends New Downloads of Chinese AI App DeepSeek Over Data Privacy Concerns
South Korea’s data protection authority announced on Monday that new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek have been suspended after the company admitted to failing to fully comply with the country’s personal data protection regulations.
The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) stated in a media briefing that the app’s service will be restored once necessary improvements are made to align with South Korea’s privacy laws.
The suspension, which took effect on Saturday, only applies to new downloads of DeepSeek, while its web-based service remains accessible in the country.
According to the PIPC, DeepSeek recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged partial non-compliance with local data protection laws.
This action follows similar regulatory scrutiny in Italy, where the country’s data protection authority, Garante, ordered DeepSeek last month to block its chatbot due to unresolved concerns about its privacy policy.
DeepSeek has yet to issue a statement in response to the suspension.
When asked about previous attempts by South Korean authorities to restrict the app, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry emphasized during a February 6 briefing that Beijing prioritizes data privacy and security and upholds it in accordance with the law.
The spokesperson further stated that the Chinese government does not instruct companies or individuals to collect or store data in violation of legal requirements.
The suspension marks another challenge for DeepSeek as it faces growing international scrutiny over its handling of personal data.
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Source: Vietnam Insider