Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek has halted new downloads of its chatbot app in South Korea after South Korean regulators raised concerns over its handling of personal data.
The Personal Information Protection Commission, South Korea's privacy watchdog, announced Monday that the suspension took effect at 6 p.m. on Saturday and will remain in place until the company strengthens its privacy policies to comply with the country’s Personal Information Protection Act.
The decision means new users in South Korea can no longer download the DeepSeek app from major platforms, including the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. A search for the app now yields no results. However, those who had already installed it before the suspension can still use it. The DeepSeek chatbot's website also remains accessible.
The PIPC has advised existing users to be cautious, specifically warning them against entering personal information into the chatbot.
The suspension follows an official inquiry sent to DeepSeek’s headquarters on Jan. 31 after concerns emerged over the company’s data collection practices. The PIPC is investigating what kinds of personal data DeepSeek collects, how the data is stored, whether it is shared with third parties, and who has access to it.
The commission has confirmed that DeepSeek’s privacy policy lacked transparency regarding third-party data sharing and may have collected excessive amounts of personal information, echoing concerns raised by both Korean and international media.
DeepSeek, which is owned by the Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer, has recently gained global attention for developing cost-effective AI models that rival industry leaders like OpenAI and Meta. However, its handling of user data has come under scrutiny in multiple countries.
In response to South Korea’s investigation, the company appointed top Korean law firm Bae, Kim & Lee LLC as its legal representative on Feb. 10 and acknowledged on Feb. 14 that it had overlooked some of South Korea’s data protection laws while expanding globally. DeepSeek has pledged to cooperate with regulators to address the concerns.
South Korea’s crackdown on AI privacy policies is part of a broader effort to regulate AI services, as the government tightens oversight on major tech companies operating in the country. The PIPC, which previously reviewed AI privacy policies at OpenAI, Google and Microsoft, expects this investigation to move faster since it focuses solely on DeepSeek. Regulators are also preparing new amendments to the Personal Information Protection Act to strengthen privacy protections for AI services and increasing enforcement against foreign companies.
“Those who have already downloaded or are using DeepSeek online can continue to do so, but we advise them to be mindful of the risks related to personal data exposure,” said Nam Suk, director of the PIPC’s investigation and mediation office.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
