DeepSeek Removed from South Korean App Stores Due to Privacy Issues

The popular application DeepSeek, developed by a Chinese company specializing in large language models (LLMs) and chatbots, has been suspended from availability in South Korea. This suspension arises following concerns over privacy violations as determined by the South Korean Personal Information Protection Commission.

On February 15th, the commission announced that the DeepSeek app was withdrawn from local app stores after finding that it did not comply with South Korean privacy regulations. The national intelligence service had already alerted the population about DeepSeek's practices of collecting extensive personal data, sharing user information with advertisers, and utilizing all inputs for training purposes.

Additionally, the chatbot has faced backlash for suggesting that Kimchi, a traditional fermented vegetable dish recognized as a staple of South Korean cuisine, may actually have Chinese roots. This claim has led to further discontent among South Koreans.

Interestingly, the announcement from the commission indicated that a local representative for DeepSeek has contacted the organization and expressed a willingness to cooperate in making necessary changes to the application in hopes of reinstating it in local app stores.

Before any discussions on potential modifications can commence, the commission has requested an on-site inspection of DeepSeek’s operations. Previous investigations by South Korean authorities into major tech companies, including Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and others, lasted about five months. However, the commission has suggested that this investigation should be expedited since it is focusing solely on the Chinese company.

In the meantime, South Korean users who have already downloaded the app or accessed DeepSeek through the web have been cautioned to proceed with caution and refrain from inputting personal information.

DeepSeek has already experienced restrictions in several other countries, where it is banned from use on government-owned devices, with Italy going as far as prohibiting its use entirely. Thus far, South Korea stands out as the only country that has taken action to remove the app from its app stores.

AI Infrastructure Expansion in South Korea

February 15th proved to be a significant day for AI-related government decisions in South Korea. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced a plan to acquire 10,000 GPUs this year and an additional 8,000 in 2026. This initiative aims to provide local researchers with the necessary infrastructure to remain competitive in AI technology.

South Korean officials noted the importance of developing a robust AI infrastructure, referencing Europe's substantial €200 billion investment in AI and the $500 billion Stargate project proposed by the United States. In response, South Korea aims for a similar strategy with its GPU acquisition, although its plans for 18,000 GPUs may seem modest when compared to other initiatives, such as Elon Musk’s ambitious 100,000 GPUs or Meta's substantial 600,000 GPU fleet.

Overall, while the investigation into DeepSeek continues, South Korea is positioning itself to strengthen its AI capabilities and ensure the protection of national interests regarding user privacy.

DeepSeek, Privacy, AI