NAIROBI, Kenya – The rise of China’s DeepSeek AI is hitting a roadblock in South Korea.
Seoul’s Personal Information Protection Commission has temporarily suspended the app’s availability, citing concerns over how it handles user data—a growing issue in an era of AI-driven privacy battles.
DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot has been making waves for its ability to compete with Western AI models at a fraction of the cost.
But with its servers based in China, the app has raised red flags in several countries, leading to bans, investigations, and growing scrutiny.
South Korea Pulls the Plug—For Now
As of Saturday at 6:00 PM KST, DeepSeek was removed from local app stores, preventing new downloads while authorities assess its privacy policy and data storage practices.
The Personal Information Protection Commission stated that DeepSeek had admitted to not fully considering South Korea’s privacy laws before launching.
Adjusting to compliance “would inevitably take a significant amount of time,” the agency noted.
“To prevent further concerns from spreading, the commission recommended that DeepSeek temporarily suspend its service while making the necessary improvements,” the statement read.
The company agreed to the suspension and is now under review.
South Korea removes DeepSeek from app stores pending privacy review aje.io/6qkhj7
For users who already downloaded DeepSeek, the chatbot remains operational, but officials strongly advise against entering personal data until the final decision is made.
“Use the service with caution,” the agency warned, urging users to avoid inputting sensitive information.
Global Scrutiny and National Security Worries
South Korea isn’t alone in pumping the brakes on DeepSeek’s rapid expansion.
Several nations have questioned its China-based servers, sparking concerns about potential government access to user data.
Italy recently blocked DeepSeek from processing user information while authorities investigate compliance with EU data protection laws.
Meanwhile, Australia has banned the app from all government devices based on security recommendations.
In the U.S., lawmakers have proposed a bill to restrict DeepSeek on government devices, citing fears of data misuse.
The move follows previous actions against Chinese tech firms, reinforcing a trend of data security being tied to national security.
Beijing is pushing back against what it sees as a coordinated effort to hinder Chinese technology firms.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged nations to avoid “politicizing trade and technology issues” while emphasizing that China has never required companies to collect or store data unlawfully.
Meanwhile, DeepSeek’s next steps remain unclear. While the company has a privacy policy for the EU and other regions, analysts argue it needs a tailored policy for South Korea.
With AI development moving at breakneck speed, the question remains: Will DeepSeek adapt to global privacy demands, or will it become another casualty in the ongoing tech cold war?
