South Korea has announced plans to block access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) service DeepSeek, citing concerns over its data collection practices. According to Yonhap News Agency, a finance ministry official confirmed the decision, explaining that technical issues raised both domestically and internationally have led to the move. The restriction will apply to PCs connected to external networks, following similar measures that were introduced a day earlier for government computers within the foreign, trade, and defense ministries.
The country’s unification ministry also indicated plans to implement similar measures across its networks, following a 2023 directive to prohibit the input of undisclosed official data into generative AI, as requested by the National Intelligence Service and the interior ministry. The Ministry of Environment followed suit, restricting access to DeepSeek on all internet-connected government PCs due to concerns over its unclear personal information collection system.
Also Read: Data breach from Chinese chatbot DeepSeek sparks security concerns.
South Korea’s move against DeepSeek is part of a wider global trend, as several countries express concern over the Chinese AI service’s potential to expose sensitive data. Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs banned DeepSeek in January, citing national security risks, while Italy, the United States, and Australia have implemented similar restrictions, citing issues related to data privacy and transparency.
The controversy surrounding DeepSeek has escalated, with US Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick accusing the company of stealing US technology and circumventing export controls to obtain Nvidia chips for its AI development. As concerns over AI security continue to rise, South Korea’s decision signals an increasing global effort to scrutinize the operations of Chinese AI models.
