Chinese AI service DeepSeek has made a return to South Korean app markets, two months after its initial suspension due to data privacy issues.
The re-release of the app on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play comes after a series of concerns over its handling of personal data and prompts, which led to a temporary ban in February.
In January, when DeepSeek launched in South Korea, it faced immediate scrutiny from the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), the nation’s data privacy watchdog.
Authorities flagged that the service had transferred user data without the necessary consent, including personal information and input from prompts, which violated South Korea's strict data protection laws.
This led to the suspension of the app’s download availability in February.
The controversy stemmed from DeepSeek’s failure to disclose in its privacy policy that user data was being shared with companies in China and the United States, raising alarms over potential misuse of sensitive information.
In response to the growing backlash, DeepSeek has revised its privacy policy to comply with South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act.
The updated policy includes provisions that allow users to refuse the transfer of their data to several companies, including those based in China and the United States.
Source: DeepSeek
The company emphasised that it now processes personal information in line with the Korean data protection laws.
The app now states in its revised policy,
"We process your personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act of Korea."
Source: DeepSeek
Further investigation by the PIPC revealed that DeepSeek had sent user input data to Volcano, a Chinese company linked to ByteDance, the parent company of the popular social media platform TikTok.
The data transfer raised additional concerns about the legal grounds for the overseas transmission of Korean users’ data.
The PIPC has called for the immediate destruction of this data and a clear explanation from Volcano regarding the legal basis for these transfers.
Despite the controversies, DeepSeek's decision to reintroduce its service signals a resolution of sorts.
The service was made available once again after the company made partial adjustments in line with the PIPC’s recommendations.
While the app's re-release signifies that DeepSeek is now free to operate in the country, questions over the extent of its data protection measures remain.
DeepSeek did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the matter.
However, with the revised privacy policy now in effect, users in South Korea can once again access the service with the option to opt out of data sharing with foreign companies.
As of now, it remains to be seen whether these adjustments will fully satisfy South Korean authorities and restore public trust in the service.
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