Abishek D Praphullalumar
South Korea has removed the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from local app stores, citing concerns over its data privacy practices. The decision, announced by Seoul’s Personal Information Protection Commission, comes amid growing global scrutiny over how the AI model handles user information. While DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot has impressed with its capabilities, its storage of user data in China has raised alarms worldwide. Seoul authorities have now blocked further downloads until a full review of its compliance with South Korean privacy laws is conducted.
Despite the removal, those who previously downloaded DeepSeek can still use the app. However, the commission has urged users to be cautious, advising against sharing personal data through the chatbot until the review is complete.
This move aligns South Korea with other countries tightening restrictions on DeepSeek, including Italy, Australia, and the United States. The Chinese government, in response to mounting bans, insists that it does not engage in unlawful data collection and condemns what it calls the “politicization” of technology-related matters.
