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South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has suspended new downloads of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence application, citing the company's failure to comply with national data protection regulations. The suspension, which took effect on February 15, 2025, marks another setback for the AI startup in its global expansion efforts.
The PIPC announced during a media briefing that while existing users can continue accessing DeepSeek's web service, new downloads will remain blocked until the company implements necessary privacy improvements. The Chinese startup has recently taken steps to address these concerns by appointing legal representatives in South Korea last week and acknowledging its partial oversight of the country's data protection requirements.
This regulatory action follows similar measures in other jurisdictions. In January 2025, Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, ordered DeepSeek to cease its chatbot operations after the company failed to address privacy policy concerns. These developments highlight growing international scrutiny over AI applications' data handling practices.
The Chinese government has responded to these regulatory challenges. During a February 6 briefing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized Beijing's commitment to data privacy and security, stating that the government would never require companies or individuals to collect or store data illegally.
DeepSeek's challenges in South Korea represent a broader trend of increasing regulatory oversight of AI applications globally. The suspension underscores the growing tension between rapid technological advancement and the need to protect user privacy in an increasingly connected world.
For the suspension to be lifted, DeepSeek must demonstrate compliance with South Korea's privacy laws, though specific requirements and timelines have not been publicly disclosed. The company has not yet provided an official response to the suspension order.
