South Korea Suspends DeepSeek App Downloads Amid Privacy Review

South Korea has temporarily removed DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot app, from its local app stores due to concerns over data privacy and compliance with local regulations. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) in South Korea announced that DeepSeek's apps were removed from Apple's App Store and Google Play after the company acknowledged shortcomings in its considerations for domestic privacy laws.

The PIPC found a lack of transparency in DeepSeek's third-party data transfers and potential collection of excessive personal information. They advised DeepSeek to suspend its service temporarily while implementing necessary improvements to align with South Korean privacy laws. DeepSeek has accepted this recommendation.

The suspension impacts new downloads, but existing users can still access the app. However, South Korean authorities are urging these users to exercise caution and refrain from entering personal information until the investigation concludes.

Several South Korean government agencies and companies had already blocked DeepSeek on their networks due to concerns about the AI model collecting sensitive information. Other countries, including Australia and Taiwan, have also restricted the chatbot on government devices, while Italy has launched an investigation and blocked DeepSeek from processing data from Italian users. US lawmakers are also considering similar restrictions.

Prior to its removal, DeepSeek had gained popularity in South Korea, with approximately 1.2 million users in January, making it the second-most-popular AI model behind ChatGPT.