HomeSouth Korea Halts DeepSeek App Downloads in Local Stores
On Saturday, South Korean officials put a temporary hold on downloads of the Chinese AI Lab DeepSeek's app from app stores in the country. They're doing this while they figure out how the Chinese company deals with user data. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) mentioned that the app can be downloaded again once DeepSeek follows Korean privacy laws and makes the required tweaks.
This restriction won't mess with folks who are already using the app or the web service in South Korea. But, the data protection authority is kinda nudging current users to hold off on entering personal info into DeepSeek until they make their final call.
After DeepSeek rolled out its service in South Korea towards the end of January, the PIPC got in touch with the Chinese AI lab to ask about their data collection and processing methods. They found some issues with DeepSeek's third-party services and privacy policies during their review.
The PICC told TechCrunch that their investigation showed DeepSeek had sent South Korean user data over to ByteDance, which is TikTok's parent company.
DeepSeek hasn't gotten back to us yet about this whole thing.
The agency said that DeepSeek recently got a local rep in South Korea and admitted they weren't up to speed on South Korea's privacy laws when they launched. Last Friday, the Chinese company also said they'd work closely with Korean authorities.
Earlier this month, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the police, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, a state-run company, temporarily blocked DeepSeek on their official devices due to security worries.
South Korea isn't the only one being careful about DeepSeek because of its Chinese roots. Australia has banned DeepSeek on government devices for security reasons. Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, told DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country, and Taiwan has stopped government departments from using DeepSeek AI.
DeepSeek, based in Hangzhou and founded by Liang Feng in 2023, launched DeepSeek R1, a free, open-source reasoning AI model that's going head-to-head with OpenAI's ChatGPT.
> DeepSeek: The countries and agencies that have banned the AI company’s tech
Related article
DeepSeek Unveils AI Model Rivaling Frontier Systems
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has released two preview versions of its latest large language model, DeepSeek V4, a highly anticipated update to last year's V3.2 model and the accompanying R1 reasoning model that made a significant impact in the AI communit
DeepSeek V3.2 AI Model Delivers Top-Tier Performance with Minimal Compute Cost
While major tech companies invest billions in computational power to develop cutting-edge AI models, China's DeepSeek has achieved similar outcomes through smarter approaches rather than sheer scale. The DeepSeek V3.2 model matches OpenAI’s GPT-5 in
Security Chiefs Urge Swift AI Regulation, Citing Risks of Tools Like DeepSeek
Concern is mounting within Security Operations Centers, particularly among Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), with a sharp focus on AI giant DeepSeek from China.While initially hailed as a breakthrough for business efficiency and innovation
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Productivity
AI Architecture Designers: Build Scalable System Architectures Using Natural Language
Discover the 2026 best AI architecture design tools on XIX.AI. Our curated, top-rated list features powerful, game-changing solutions to build scalable system architectures using natural language. Compare free vs paid options with real-world insights. Unlock your AI edge and streamline development today.
10 tools
xix.ai
Comic Creation
AI Character Profile Creators: Generate Detailed Backstories & Visual Refs for Manga Leads
2026 Latest Best AI Character Profile Creators: Discover top-rated tools to generate detailed backstories and visual references for your manga leads. Our curated, weekly-updated list compares free vs paid options based on real-world tests. Find powerful, game-changing solutions to craft compelling characters and streamline your creative workflow. Explore the rankings on XIX.AI and unlock your perfect storytelling ally today.
10 tools
xix.ai
Health & Wellness
AI Pregnancy Copilots: Generate Safe Trimester-by-Trimester Workout & Nutrition Plans
Discover the 2026 best AI pregnancy copilots for safe, personalized trimester-by-trimester workout and nutrition plans. Get top-rated, curated recommendations with free vs paid comparisons and real-world insights. Unlock your healthiest pregnancy journey with XIX.AI's expert guide. Explore now.
10 tools
xix.ai
writing
Best Free AI Undetectable Writers: Turn Robotic Drafts into Natural, Human-Like Prose
Discover the 2026 best free undetectable AI writers at XIX.AI. Our top-rated, curated list helps you transform robotic drafts into natural, human-like prose. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Unlock your AI writing edge today.
10 tools
xix.ai
Image editing
AI Art Generators for Short-Drama Storyboards: Fantasy & Urban Romance Characters
2026 Latest: Discover the best AI art generators for short-drama storyboards. Our curated list features top-rated tools for creating compelling fantasy and urban romance characters. Compare free vs paid options, see real-world test results, and find your perfect creative partner. Get weekly updated rankings and expert insights from XIX.AI. Start visualizing your story today!
10 tools
xix.ai
writing
Best AI Scripting Tools for Radio & Podcasting: Write Engaging Audio Commercials
Discover the 2026 best AI scripting tools for radio & podcasting at XIX.AI. Our curated, top-rated list features powerful, game-changing solutions to write engaging audio commercials fast. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Unlock your creative edge today!
10 tools
xix.ai
Comments (46)
0/500
![FrankRoberts]()
Hat jemand einen konkreten Plan, wie man internationale Datenschutzstandards in der KI-Branche wirklich durchsetzen will? Das scheint hier wieder ein rein politisches Spiel zu sein – 'wir prüfen den Datenschutz' klingt oft nach einer Ausrede für handelsprotektionistische Maßnahmen. Die App funktioniert doch woanders problemlos. 🧐
![ArthurCarter]()
Just found out about the DeepSeek app being blocked in South Korea! It's kinda scary how they're worried about user data privacy. Hope they sort it out soon, I was looking forward to trying it out. 😅 Anyone know of similar apps that are safe to use?
![JohnYoung]()
딥시크를 다운로드하려던 찰나에 한국에서의 금지 소식을 들었어요. 사용자 데이터를 어떻게 다루는지 생각하면 좀 무섭네요. 빨리 해결되길 바랍니다, 그 전까지는 손대지 않을 거예요. 안전이 먼저죠? 🛡️
![GaryGonzalez]()
ディープシークのアプリが韓国でダウンロード停止になったのを知って、ちょっとガッカリ。使い始めたばっかりだったのに！他のアプリを探すか、解決を待つしかないね。ユーザーデータの問題、早く解決してほしいな！🤞
![WillLopez]()
한국이 DeepSeek 앱 다운로드를 중단했다고? 좀 아쉽지만, 데이터 프라이버시에 신중한 것뿐이겠지. 빨리 해결되길 바래, 사용해보고 싶었어! 🤔📱
![BrianThomas]()
Então, a Coreia do Sul decidiu interromper os downloads do aplicativo DeepSeek? Isso é um pouco frustrante, mas acho que eles estão apenas sendo cautelosos com a privacidade dos dados. Espero que resolvam isso em breve, estava ansioso para experimentar! 🤔📱
On Saturday, South Korean officials put a temporary hold on downloads of the Chinese AI Lab DeepSeek's app from app stores in the country. They're doing this while they figure out how the Chinese company deals with user data. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) mentioned that the app can be downloaded again once DeepSeek follows Korean privacy laws and makes the required tweaks.
This restriction won't mess with folks who are already using the app or the web service in South Korea. But, the data protection authority is kinda nudging current users to hold off on entering personal info into DeepSeek until they make their final call.
After DeepSeek rolled out its service in South Korea towards the end of January, the PIPC got in touch with the Chinese AI lab to ask about their data collection and processing methods. They found some issues with DeepSeek's third-party services and privacy policies during their review.
The PICC told TechCrunch that their investigation showed DeepSeek had sent South Korean user data over to ByteDance, which is TikTok's parent company.
DeepSeek hasn't gotten back to us yet about this whole thing.
The agency said that DeepSeek recently got a local rep in South Korea and admitted they weren't up to speed on South Korea's privacy laws when they launched. Last Friday, the Chinese company also said they'd work closely with Korean authorities.
Earlier this month, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the police, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, a state-run company, temporarily blocked DeepSeek on their official devices due to security worries.
South Korea isn't the only one being careful about DeepSeek because of its Chinese roots. Australia has banned DeepSeek on government devices for security reasons. Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, told DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country, and Taiwan has stopped government departments from using DeepSeek AI.
DeepSeek, based in Hangzhou and founded by Liang Feng in 2023, launched DeepSeek R1, a free, open-source reasoning AI model that's going head-to-head with OpenAI's ChatGPT.
> DeepSeek: The countries and agencies that have banned the AI company’s tech
DeepSeek Unveils AI Model Rivaling Frontier Systems
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has released two preview versions of its latest large language model, DeepSeek V4, a highly anticipated update to last year's V3.2 model and the accompanying R1 reasoning model that made a significant impact in the AI communit
DeepSeek V3.2 AI Model Delivers Top-Tier Performance with Minimal Compute Cost
While major tech companies invest billions in computational power to develop cutting-edge AI models, China's DeepSeek has achieved similar outcomes through smarter approaches rather than sheer scale. The DeepSeek V3.2 model matches OpenAI’s GPT-5 in
Security Chiefs Urge Swift AI Regulation, Citing Risks of Tools Like DeepSeek
Concern is mounting within Security Operations Centers, particularly among Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), with a sharp focus on AI giant DeepSeek from China.While initially hailed as a breakthrough for business efficiency and innovation
Discover the 2026 best AI architecture design tools on XIX.AI. Our curated, top-rated list features powerful, game-changing solutions to build scalable system architectures using natural language. Compare free vs paid options with real-world insights. Unlock your AI edge and streamline development today.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Character Profile Creators: Discover top-rated tools to generate detailed backstories and visual references for your manga leads. Our curated, weekly-updated list compares free vs paid options based on real-world tests. Find powerful, game-changing solutions to craft compelling characters and streamline your creative workflow. Explore the rankings on XIX.AI and unlock your perfect storytelling ally today.
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 best AI pregnancy copilots for safe, personalized trimester-by-trimester workout and nutrition plans. Get top-rated, curated recommendations with free vs paid comparisons and real-world insights. Unlock your healthiest pregnancy journey with XIX.AI's expert guide. Explore now.
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 best free undetectable AI writers at XIX.AI. Our top-rated, curated list helps you transform robotic drafts into natural, human-like prose. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Unlock your AI writing edge today.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest: Discover the best AI art generators for short-drama storyboards. Our curated list features top-rated tools for creating compelling fantasy and urban romance characters. Compare free vs paid options, see real-world test results, and find your perfect creative partner. Get weekly updated rankings and expert insights from XIX.AI. Start visualizing your story today!
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 best AI scripting tools for radio & podcasting at XIX.AI. Our curated, top-rated list features powerful, game-changing solutions to write engaging audio commercials fast. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Unlock your creative edge today!
10 tools
xix.ai
Hat jemand einen konkreten Plan, wie man internationale Datenschutzstandards in der KI-Branche wirklich durchsetzen will? Das scheint hier wieder ein rein politisches Spiel zu sein – 'wir prüfen den Datenschutz' klingt oft nach einer Ausrede für handelsprotektionistische Maßnahmen. Die App funktioniert doch woanders problemlos. 🧐
Just found out about the DeepSeek app being blocked in South Korea! It's kinda scary how they're worried about user data privacy. Hope they sort it out soon, I was looking forward to trying it out. 😅 Anyone know of similar apps that are safe to use?
딥시크를 다운로드하려던 찰나에 한국에서의 금지 소식을 들었어요. 사용자 데이터를 어떻게 다루는지 생각하면 좀 무섭네요. 빨리 해결되길 바랍니다, 그 전까지는 손대지 않을 거예요. 안전이 먼저죠? 🛡️
ディープシークのアプリが韓国でダウンロード停止になったのを知って、ちょっとガッカリ。使い始めたばっかりだったのに！他のアプリを探すか、解決を待つしかないね。ユーザーデータの問題、早く解決してほしいな！🤞
한국이 DeepSeek 앱 다운로드를 중단했다고? 좀 아쉽지만, 데이터 프라이버시에 신중한 것뿐이겠지. 빨리 해결되길 바래, 사용해보고 싶었어! 🤔📱
Então, a Coreia do Sul decidiu interromper os downloads do aplicativo DeepSeek? Isso é um pouco frustrante, mas acho que eles estão apenas sendo cautelosos com a privacidade dos dados. Espero que resolvam isso em breve, estava ansioso para experimentar! 🤔📱
