South Korea suspends downloads of DeepSeek over privacy concerns

• Published On: 17 February 2025 at 20:06

On Monday, South Korea’s data protection authority announced the suspension of new downloads of the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, following the company's admission of non-compliance with specific personal data protection regulations.

The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) announced that the suspension commenced on Saturday and will persist until DeepSeek implements requisite enhancements to comply with South Korea’s privacy regulations. Nonetheless, the application's web service continues to be accessible within the country.

The Chinese startup has recently designated legal representatives in South Korea and admitted to its partial non-compliance with the nation's data protection regulations, according to a media briefing by the PIPC.

DeepSeek has encountered regulatory examination beyond South Korea. In the previous month, Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, mandated the prohibition of the chatbot within the nation due to persistent issues related to its privacy policy.

In response to enquiries regarding the South Korean government's actions, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry underscored on February 6 that China prioritises data privacy and security, ensuring adherence to legal protections. The spokesperson stated that the Chinese government does not mandate any company or individual to collect or retain data in contravention of the law.