South Korea has recently become the newest nation to implement restrictions on the Chinese firm **DeepSeek** due to apprehensions regarding its **data practices**.
On Saturday, South Korean authorities **temporarily halted** the downloading of the DeepSeek app, pointing to non-adherence to the country’s **Personal Information Protection Act**. The prohibition will remain effective until the company conforms to local data protection standards, as stated in an official [notification](https://www.pipc.go.kr/np/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?bbsId=BS074&mCode=C020010000&nttId=11007#LINK).
After examining DeepSeek’s policies, the **Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC)** identified “deficiencies” in how the app manages communication functions and handles personal data with third-party service providers. The commission indicated that downloads would be restored once DeepSeek complies with South Korea’s data protection regulations.
DeepSeek gained attention in January with its **sophisticated reasoning chatbot**, which was available for free, open-source, and created at a significantly lower cost than leading AI models like OpenAI’s o1. Nevertheless, the company’s **privacy policy** soon raised major alarms. DeepSeek gathers substantial user data and stores it on servers located in China, thereby enabling access to this information by the **Chinese government** under local laws.
Governments across the globe have reacted with heightened scrutiny concerning potential **data security and national security issues**. Both **Ireland and Italy** have sought more information about DeepSeek’s practices, with Italy even proceeding to **block downloads**. **Australia** has also prohibited the app from being used on government devices. In the **United States**, federal measures have been proposed to ban DeepSeek on government devices, while **New York and Texas** have already imposed similar restrictions at the state level.
In South Korea, officials specified that users who have already acquired the app may continue to utilize it. However, they recommended exercising caution, advising users against providing **personal information** while engaging with DeepSeek.