DeepSeek removed from app stores in South Korea amid data privacy concerns

Chinese AI app, DeepSeek, has been removed from South Korean app stores pending a review of how it handles user data. According to news agency AFP, Choi Jang-hyuk, vice chairperson of Seoul’s Personal Information Protection Commission, told a press conference that DeepSeek has been removed from local app stores while authorities “thoroughly examine” its personal data processing practices “to ensure compliance” with local laws.

The app’s R1 chatbot has gained popularity since its launch last month. However, concerns have been raised in several countries about how DeepSeek stores user data, which the company claims is kept on “secure servers located in China.”