South Korea has taken decisive steps to block access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) service DeepSeek, citing concerns over data collection and security risks. According to Yonhap News Agency, a finance ministry official confirmed that the government plans to block access to DeepSeek on all PCs connected to external networks due to several technical concerns raised both domestically and internationally.
This decision follows a similar move made earlier this week to restrict DeepSeek’s usage on government computers within the foreign, trade, and defense ministries. In addition, the unification ministry also announced plans to block the service, noting that it has already prohibited the input of undisclosed official data into generative AI since 2023 at the request of the National Intelligence Service.
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The Ministry of Environment joined in on Thursday, restricting DeepSeek from all government PCs connected to the internet. An official cited concerns over the system’s unknown personal information collection methods, urging caution in using the AI tool.
South Korea’s actions come amid growing international scrutiny of DeepSeek. Taiwan, Italy, the United States, and Australia have all imposed similar restrictions, raising alarms over the potential risks associated with Chinese AI systems, especially regarding national security and data privacy. With increasing concerns from global intelligence communities, more countries are expected to follow suit.
