South Korea Blocks DeepSeek Access Over Data Privacy Concerns
South Korea's Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Commerce blocked access to the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek on government computers in early February 2025 over concerns about personal data handling. The South Korean data protection authority opened an investigation requesting explanations from DeepSeek about its data management practices.
What happened
The South Korean Ministry of Industry temporarily blocked access to DeepSeek from government computers on 6 February 2025 citing security concerns.
The Ministry of Defence blocked access to DeepSeek on computers connected to the internet, and the Ministry of Commerce also restricted access temporarily while awaiting explanations from DeepSeek regarding personal data handling. The South Korean data protection authority requested information from DeepSeek about how it manages user personal data.
Reported impact
Major South Korean companies including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Kakao Corp, SK Hynix, and Naver restricted or blocked employee access to DeepSeek services over security and data protection concerns.
Index analysis
The South Korean government issued a warning requesting ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using AI services, including DeepSeek and ChatGPT.
Governance controls
The South Korean data protection authority announced it was requesting DeepSeek provide explanations on how it handles user data, following similar actions by authorities in France and Ireland.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.