South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) announced that new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek had been suspended in the country.
The decision came after DeepSeek had admitted to failing to fully comply with some of the agency’s rules on personal data protection.
The PIPC stated that the app’s services would resume once necessary improvements were made to align with South Korea’s privacy laws. The suspension, which took effect on Saturday, blocked new downloads of the app but did not affect access to DeepSeek’s web service in the country.
The Chinese startup recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged partially neglecting considerations under the country’s data protection laws, according to the PIPC. The move follows similar regulatory actions in other countries.
Last month, Italy’s data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after the company failed to address concerns about its privacy policy.
When questioned about earlier actions by South Korean government departments to restrict DeepSeek, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson addressed the issue during a briefing on 6 February. The spokesperson emphasised that the Chinese government places great importance on data privacy and security and protects it in accordance with the law.
The suspension highlights growing international scrutiny over data privacy and the challenges faced by tech companies in navigating varying regulatory frameworks across different markets. DeepSeek’s ability to address the concerns will be critical to restoring its services in South Korea and maintaining its global presence.
