South Korea removes DeepSeek from app stores, existing users advised to ‘service with caution’

South Korea’s data protection authority has suspended the new downloads of DeepSeek app after the Chinese AI startup failed to take into account the country’s rules on personal data protection. 

Choi Jang-hyuk, vice chairperson of Seoul’s Personal Information Protection Commission, confirmed the suspension on new downloads of DeepSeek (via AFP) and stated that authorities will “thoroughly examine DeepSeek’s personal data processing practices to ensure compliance” with the local laws. 

Meanwhile, the domestic data protection agency said that DeepSeek had  “acknowledged that considerations for domestic privacy laws were somewhat lacking”. It further stated that bringing DeepSeek in line with South Korea’s privacy laws “would inevitably take a significant amount of time”, it added.

“To prevent further concerns from spreading, the commission recommended that DeepSeek temporarily suspend its service while making the necessary improvements,” Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) was quoted as saying by AFP. 

“Existing users are… strongly advised to use the service with caution until the final results are announced, including refraining from entering personal information into the DeepSeek input field,” the data protection authority added.