South Korea Suspends the Download of Deepseek Over Privacy Concerns

The Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek has been temporarily removed from app stores in South Korea while authorities review its handling of personal data.

The Personal Information Protection Commission of Seoul announced that DeepSeek will not be available to new users until compliance with local privacy regulations is ensured.

Concerns about data storage

DeepSeek's R1 chatbot has been recognized for its alleged ability to match its Western competitors at a lower cost. However, several countries have expressed concerns about the security of user data, as the company stores information on "secure servers located in the People's Republic of China."

According to South Korea's data protection agency, the Chinese company "acknowledged that national privacy laws were not considered" and that adapting its service to local regulations "would inevitably take a significant amount of time." Meanwhile, the commission recommended temporarily suspending the service, and DeepSeek accepted the measure.

Restrictions and warnings to users

DeepSeek was removed from local app stores on Saturday at 18:00 (0900 GMT) and remains unavailable for new downloads. However, users who have already installed the application can continue to use it.

The data protection agency recommended current users "use the service with caution until the final results are announced" and avoid entering personal information into the chatbot.

Analyst Youm Heung-youl, a data security professor at Soonchunhyang University, explained that DeepSeek has not yet developed a specific privacy policy for South Korea. "It has disclosed a privacy policy for the EU and other countries, ensuring compliance with those nations' national laws, but it needs to establish one specific for Korea," he noted.

International restrictions on DeepSeek

South Korea is not the only country that has taken action against DeepSeek. Italy has launched an investigation into its R1 model and has prevented it from processing Italian user data. Australia banned the application on all government devices following security recommendations, and in the United States, lawmakers have proposed a bill to block its use on government devices.

China has replied to international bans by assuring that "it has never required and will never require companies or individuals to collect or store data illegally." Additionally, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, urged countries to avoid "politicizing commercial and technological issues."

Future prospects

The case of DeepSeek highlights the growing global scrutiny of artificial intelligence applications and the security of personal data. As more countries strengthen their regulations,  technology companies will need to adapt their policies to comply with local regulations and ensure user trust.