South Korea’s data protection authority announced on Monday that new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek had been suspended after the company admitted to failing to comply with certain personal data protection regulations.
According to the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), the suspension took effect on Saturday and will remain in place until DeepSeek makes necessary improvements to align with South Korea’s privacy laws. However, the app’s web service remains accessible in the country.
The Chinese startup recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged its partial non-compliance with the country’s data protection laws, the PIPC said in a media briefing.
DeepSeek has faced regulatory scrutiny beyond South Korea. Last month, Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, ordered the chatbot to be blocked in the country due to unresolved concerns regarding its privacy policy.
When questioned about the South Korean government’s actions, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized on February 6 that China attaches great importance to data privacy and security, ensuring compliance with legal protections. The spokesperson added that the Chinese government does not require any company or individual to collect or store data in violation of the law.
