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South Korea’s Spy Agency Raises Concerns Over DeepSeek’s Data Practices

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South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has raised alarms about the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, accusing it of “excessively” collecting personal data. The NIS claims that the app uses all user input to train itself and has questioned how it handles sensitive national issues, such as the origin of kimchi.

The NIS issued an official notice last week to government agencies, urging them to take extra security precautions due to concerns over DeepSeek’s data collection practices. According to the spy agency, unlike other AI services, DeepSeek records chat histories and captures keyboard input patterns that can identify individuals. It also communicates with Chinese servers, such as volceapplog.com, which raises privacy concerns.

Several South Korean government ministries have already blocked access to DeepSeek, following the lead of Australia and Taiwan, which have also placed restrictions or issued warnings about the app. The NIS also alleged that DeepSeek provides advertisers with unrestricted access to user data and stores South Korean users’ information on servers in China. Under Chinese law, the Chinese government could request access to this data.

The app has also been criticized for providing conflicting responses to sensitive questions based on the language in which they are asked. For instance, when asked about the origin of kimchi, DeepSeek claimed the dish was Korean when the question was posed in Korean, but said it originated in China when asked in Chinese. This issue has been a source of tension between South Korea and China in recent years.

DeepSeek has also faced accusations of censoring politically sensitive topics, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. In response to questions about this, the app allegedly suggests users “Let’s talk about something else.”

DeepSeek did not respond to requests for comment. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, when asked about South Korea’s actions, emphasized China’s commitment to data privacy and security, stating that the Chinese government ensures data protection in accordance with the law.

South Korean Prosecutors to Appeal Ruling in Samsung Chief’s Case

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South Korean prosecutors have announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court following an appeals court’s ruling that found Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee not guilty of charges related to a 2015 merger. The case revolves around an $8 billion merger between two Samsung affiliates, which prosecutors argued was designed to solidify Lee’s control over the tech giant. However, the Seoul High Court ruled on February 3 that all charges should be dismissed, stating that the merger did not cause financial harm to minority shareholders.

Lee, who has long been entangled in legal challenges, including those stemming from this merger, denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he never intended to deceive investors for personal gain. The decision follows a history of legal troubles for Lee, including his 18-month imprisonment on bribery charges in connection with a scandal that led to the 2017 impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye.

Despite the favorable ruling, Lee continues to face ongoing legal risks as Samsung deals with increasing competition and sluggish stock performance. Samsung has declined to comment on the recent developments.

South Korea Blocks DeepSeek Amid Security Concerns, Following Global Warnings

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South Korea’s industry ministry has temporarily blocked employee access to the Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek due to security concerns, marking the latest move by governments to restrict the use of certain AI services. A ministry official confirmed on Wednesday that the ban was implemented in response to growing apprehension surrounding generative AI technologies.

On Tuesday, the South Korean government issued a notice urging caution among ministries and agencies regarding the use of AI services such as DeepSeek and ChatGPT in work-related tasks. The notice followed earlier actions by state-run entities, with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power confirming it had blocked access to DeepSeek earlier this month.

The country’s defense ministry also took action, blocking access to DeepSeek on military computers, while the foreign ministry restricted its use on devices connected to external networks, according to Yonhap News Agency. However, the foreign ministry did not provide further details regarding the specific security measures taken.

DeepSeek, which was not immediately available for comment, joins a growing list of companies facing scrutiny over potential security risks. Both Australia and Taiwan have recently banned the AI service from government devices, citing similar security concerns. In January, Italy’s data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot after the company failed to address privacy issues raised by regulators.

In addition to government actions, private companies in South Korea are also taking precautions. Kakao Corp, a major South Korean chat app operator, instructed employees to refrain from using DeepSeek due to security fears, particularly following its partnership with OpenAI. Other South Korean tech giants, including SK Hynix and Naver, have also restricted or limited access to generative AI services, citing concerns about data security and privacy.

The scrutiny of DeepSeek follows the company’s claim that its AI models are on par with or superior to products developed in the U.S., while being significantly cheaper to produce. South Korea’s information privacy watchdog has announced plans to inquire with DeepSeek about its user data management practices, adding another layer of regulatory attention on the Chinese startup.