South Korea accuses DeepSeek of leaking ByteDance user data
South Korea also suspects DeepSeek of a data leak (photo: Getty Images)
South Korea's data protection regulator has stated that the DeepSeek chatbot was sending user data from the country to the Chinese owner of TikTok, ByteDance. In response, DeepSeek expressed its willingness to cooperate with the commission, according to Yonhap.
The confirmation came after the regulator, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), announced a temporary suspension of new downloads of DeepSeek in South Korea due to concerns over its data collection methods.
"We confirmed DeepSeek communicating with ByteDance," said a PIPC representative.
However, according to the representative, the PIPC has not yet confirmed what data was transmitted or to what extent. This was the first instance where the regulator confirmed a potential data leak from DeepSeek to a third party. According to South Korean law, explicit consent from the user is required before their data can be shared with a third party.
The PIPC also sent an official request to DeepSeek asking for clarification on the service’s data collection and management practices. In response, DeepSeek appointed a representative in South Korea, acknowledged shortcomings in its handling of local data protection laws, and expressed its willingness to actively cooperate with the commission.
DeepSeek has faced accusations of data leaks in various countries and has been banned in some regions. In the US, a bill titled the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act" has been introduced. Politicians argue that this technology is linked to the Communist Party of China.
Meanwhile, in Italy, the processing of user data by Chinese companies providing DeepSeek services has been restricted due to concerns about potential data leaks.
Taiwan has also banned government agencies and critical infrastructure service providers from using DeepSeek, considering the technology a security threat.
