DeepSeek AI app temporarily removed from South Korean app stores for privacy review
Seoul: The Chinese AI app DeepSeek has been removed from South Korean app stores pending a review of its data privacy practices, authorities announced on Monday.
DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot made waves in the industry for its ability to compete with Western AI services at a fraction of the cost. However, concerns over how the app handles user data have raised alarms in multiple countries. The company claims to store user information on "secure servers located in the People’s Republic of China."
Seoul's Personal Information Protection Commission stated that DeepSeek would not be available for download until a full review of its personal data collection practices is completed.
The company acknowledged that its approach to South Korea’s privacy laws was insufficient, the data protection agency reported. It added that aligning the app with local privacy standards would take considerable time.
To address growing concerns, the commission advised DeepSeek to temporarily suspend its service while it works on necessary adjustments. DeepSeek has agreed to this recommendation.
The app was removed from South Korean app stores on Saturday at 6:00 pm (0900 GMT), and remains unavailable for new downloads. However, users who had already downloaded the app can continue using it.
Seoul's data protection agency has cautioned users to "exercise caution" while using the app, recommending that they refrain from entering personal information.
Analyst Youm Heung-youl, a data security professor at Soonchunhyang University, noted that DeepSeek has not yet provided a privacy policy tailored for South Korean users. While it has shared a privacy policy for the EU and some other countries, it has yet to address the specific needs of the Korean market.
In response to the growing scrutiny, Italy has launched its own investigation into DeepSeek, blocking it from processing Italian user data. Meanwhile, Australia has banned the app from government devices, following advice from security agencies.
In the United States, lawmakers have introduced a bill seeking to prohibit DeepSeek from being used on government devices, citing concerns about data security.
The Chinese government has responded by opposing the "politicization of economic, trade, and technological matters" and reiterated that it has never required businesses or individuals to collect or store data unlawfully.
Agencies