Tech Desk 
Feb 06, 2025
Data security concerns have led South Korea’s industry ministry to temporarily block employees' access to DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup.
This ban makes South Korea the latest government to restrict DeepSeek, following similar moves by Australia and Taiwan.
DeepSeek banned in South Korea
As reported by Reuters, the government issued a notice urging ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT at work.
Several state-run organisations, including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the defence ministry, have already restricted access to DeepSeek on their computers. The foreign ministry has also restricted access to the Chinese AI chatbot on computers connected to external networks.
However, South Korea's information privacy watchdog plans to investigate DeepSeek's data handling practices, particularly those regarding personal information.
DeepSeek’s AI chatbot recently gained significant attention, particularly in the United States, for offering high-performance AI at a lower cost than US rivals like OpenAI and Google.
While governments like the US, Europe, and India are examining the implications of using DeepSeek, the AI chatbot also became the top-rated app on Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store, challenging the industry giants.
Italy's data protection authority has also ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country due to concerns over its privacy policy.
