Seoul: The South Korean government has announced a temporary suspension of the local service of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek, citing concerns about its data collection practices.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Personal Information Protection Commission confirmed that the service was halted on Saturday evening. The suspension will remain in effect until the app's practices align with South Korea's personal information protection laws.
The decision follows actions by several ministries and government entities in South Korea, which have blocked internal access to the AI service due to apprehensions about the company's data management practices.
Last month, the commission sent a formal inquiry to DeepSeek, demanding clarification on its data collection and management methods. In response, the Chinese company appointed a representative in South Korea, acknowledged its shortcomings in adhering to local protection laws, and expressed its willingness to cooperate with the commission.