South Korea Suspends DeepSeek AI Chatbot Over Privacy Concerns

Seoul, South Korea – February 17, 2025 – South Korea has temporarily suspended new downloads of the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek due to concerns over data privacy compliance. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) announced that the suspension took effect on February 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. local time.

Reasons for Suspension

The PIPC's analysis found that DeepSeek’s communication functions and data processing policies failed to meet South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act. The commission stated that the company had not fully considered domestic privacy laws before launching its services in the country.

The suspension applies only to new downloads from app marketplaces, while the web service remains accessible. Existing users can still use the app, but the PIPC has advised them to avoid entering personal information into DeepSeek’s input fields until further notice.

Security Concerns & Government Actions

The suspension follows warnings from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), which accused DeepSeek of excessively collecting personal data and using it to train its AI models. Investigations also revealed that the app's Android and iOS versions contained security vulnerabilities, allowing unencrypted data transmissions to its servers.

In response, DeepSeek has appointed a local representative and acknowledged that it failed to fully comply with South Korean privacy laws. The company has committed to making necessary improvements to restore app availability.

Future Implications

The PIPC will continue monitoring compliance efforts and ensure that foreign AI services adhere to South Korea’s privacy regulations. The suspension is temporary, meaning DeepSeek may resume new downloads once it meets the required data protection standards.