South Korea halts DeepSeek app over data protection concerns
The authorities in South Korea announced on Monday that the DeepSeek app would not be available in local app stores until the information collection policies of the service comply with national personal data protection regulations.
According to the decision by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), DeepSeek is available in South Korea, but users will not be able to download the app to smartphones.
Current users are strongly advised to use the service cautiously until the final results are announced, including refraining from entering personal data when using DeepSeek, the PIPC stated in a release.
The decision, which took effect on Saturday evening, was made after several ministries and government agencies blocked internal access to the AI service. This action was justified by concerns about DeepSeek's data management. AFP agency reported that the Chinese company "accepted" the authorities' decision in Seoul.
As recently as January, the PIPC sent a formal request to DeepSeek to obtain clarification on data collection and management methods. The company admitted that "some principles" concerning personal data protection had not been taken into account.
Authorities from several countries worldwide, including Italy, the Netherlands, and the US, have openly expressed concerns about the risks associated with using the DeepSeek chatbot. These concerns include the transmission of data directly to China, where authorities in Beijing may access it. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has banned the installation of the Chinese company DeepSeek's chatbots on government administration equipment.
The Chinese government criticized the actions of various institutions and governments aimed at limiting the use of DeepSeek, claiming that "we have never asked and will never ask any company or individual to collect or store data illegally."
