South Korea’s Finance Ministry To Block Deepseek Over Data Security Concerns

SEOUL, Feb 6 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea’s finance ministry plans to block access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) service DeepSeek over data security concerns, a ministry official said on Thursday.

"Due to multiple technical concerns raised about DeepSeek from both domestic and international sources, we plan to block access to the service on PCs connected to external networks," Yonhap news agency quoted the official as saying.

The move is part of a broader government initiative to limit access to DeepSeek to prevent potential leaks of sensitive information through generative AI services.

On Wednesday, access to the platform was restricted to computers used by the foreign, trade and defence ministries.

Separately, an official from the unification ministry said on Thursday that it also plans to block access to AI services, apparently including DeepSeek.

"The unification ministry has, since 2023, prohibited the input of undisclosed official data into all generative AI platforms at the request of the National Intelligence Service and the interior ministry," the official added.

When asked whether DeepSeek would specifically be blocked, the official stated, "We plan to take follow-up measures within the day, including blocking access," without directly naming the service.

DeepSeek has gained significant attention since its launch last month, impressing industry experts with its high performance and relatively low cost compared to competing services.

However, concerns over its security and data management practices have led several countries to scrutinise and impose restrictions on the platform.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP