South Korea to send inquiry to China’s DeepSeek over data privacy concerns

Seoul: South Korea’s data protection authority plans to send an inquiry to DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup, amid growing concerns over the company’s data collection practices, according to officials.

According to the officials, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) under the interior ministry plans to send an official inquiry to DeepSeek’s headquarters in China, requesting detailed information on the startup’s policy on personal data collection.

The PIPC also plans to ask how DeepSeek uses personal data for AI training purposes, reports Yonhap news agency.

A commission official said the move comes in response to the rapid rise in South Korean users of DeepSeek and the increasing concerns over potential privacy risks.

“Depending on the response, we will take further steps such as a fact-finding review or an investigation if necessary,” the official said.

Major international media outlets have reported that government institutions and companies worldwide are restricting access to DeepSeek over fears of data leaks and privacy violations.

According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, the company collects various forms of personal information, including users’ names, birth dates, email addresses, phone numbers and passwords for AI model training.

The company also gathers keyboard input patterns, audio data, uploaded files and chat histories. The policy states that DeepSeek reserves the right to share such data with law enforcement and public agencies at its discretion.

South Korean stocks ended lower on Friday after a weeklong holiday as tech shares sharply slid in the aftermath of a recent shock from the emergence of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek. The Korean won was trading sharply lower against the U.S. dollar.

Foreigners dumped 1.2 trillion won worth of local shares, while retail investors and institutions purchased a combined 1.16 trillion won.

–IANS