South Korea has joined the growing list of countries banning the Chinese AI app DeepSeek over data protection concerns. The decision comes amid widespread criticism of the chatbot, which recently overtook OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most popular AI app in the U.S.
DeepSeek’s rapid rise has sparked concerns over security, privacy, and ethics, particularly due to its refusal to address topics like the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has announced that it will block new downloads of DeepSeek while conducting a review of the app’s handling of users’ personal data.
“[DeepSeek] acknowledged that considerations for domestic privacy laws were somewhat lacking,” the PIPC said. “To prevent further concerns from spreading, the commission recommended that DeepSeek temporarily suspend its service while making the necessary improvements.”
The restriction is intended to block new downloads of the app in South Korea, though its web-based service remains accessible. According to the PIPC, the Chinese startup recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and admitted to overlooking certain aspects of the country’s data protection laws.
This decision follows similar actions taken by other nations. Last month, Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, ordered DeepSeek to suspend its chatbot services in the country over unresolved privacy concerns. Meanwhile, Australia has banned all DeepSeek products from government devices, citing them as a “national security risk.”
DeepSeek has yet to respond to requests for comment.
When asked about South Korea’s decision, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated on February 6 that the Chinese government “attaches great importance to data privacy and security and protects it in accordance with the law.”
The spokesperson also maintained that Beijing does not compel companies or individuals to collect or store data in ways that violate privacy laws.
Meanwhile, the crackdown on DeepSeek is gaining momentum in the US, where lawmakers recently introduced a bill seeking to ban Americans from using the app or engaging with any AI technologies developed in China. If enacted, violations could result in penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
