South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has officially suspended new downloads of Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek, effective February 15, 2025. The suspension comes after the agency identified significant privacy and data protection compliance issues in the application’s operations.

While the web version remains accessible, the mobile apps have been temporarily blocked from new downloads until DeepSeek implements necessary changes to align with South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act. The PIPC’s investigation revealed deficiencies in communication functions and personal information handling policies, particularly concerning third-party service providers.

Key Issues:
– Excessive personal data collection
– Improper data usage for AI training
– Security vulnerabilities in mobile apps
– Unencrypted data transmission to servers

DeepSeek has acknowledged its oversight regarding local privacy laws and has appointed a local representative to address these concerns. The PIPC has advised existing users to exercise caution and avoid entering personal information until the company completes required improvements.

The suspension follows recent warnings from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) about DeepSeek’s data collection practices. The PIPC plans to strengthen compliance measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.