South Korea Halts New Downloads of Chinese AI App DeepSeek Over Privacy Concerns

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has suspended new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek, citing concerns over its handling of personal data. The decision, which took effect on Saturday, follows DeepSeek’s admission that it failed to comply with some of the country’s data protection regulations.

According to PIPC, the suspension will remain in place until the app makes necessary improvements to align with South Korea’s privacy laws. However, users in the country can still access DeepSeek’s web-based services.

The Chinese AI startup recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged that it had partially overlooked key aspects of the country’s data protection laws, the agency revealed in a media briefing.

This development comes amid growing global scrutiny of AI-driven platforms. Last month, Italy’s data protection authority, Garante, ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country over concerns about its privacy policies and data handling practices.

As AI-powered applications gain widespread adoption, governments worldwide are tightening regulations to ensure compliance with data protection laws and safeguard user privacy.