South Korea Suspends DeepSeek Downloads Over Data Collection Concerns
South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission suspended downloads of the Chinese AI service DeepSeek on concerns about its data collection practices. The suspension would remain in effect until the company made improvements complying with South Korean privacy laws, though existing users could continue accessing the app with caution.
What happened
South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission suspended downloads of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence service, on Saturday night due to concerns about its data collection practices.
Several South Korean government ministries and agencies had previously restricted internal access to the service due to concerns about data management. The commission stated the suspension would continue until the company made improvements and corrections in compliance with South Korea's personal information protection laws.
Reported impact
Existing users who had already downloaded DeepSeek could still access the application, but were advised to be cautious. Commission official Nam Seok told reporters that users should be vigilant because there was a risk that personal information could be compromised.
Governance controls
The suspension was implemented following concerns raised by the commission about DeepSeek's data practices, and the company agreed to temporarily suspend the service until improvements were made.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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