South Korea’s industry ministry has become the latest government to limit access to Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek, citing security issues. The ministry has issued a temporary ban on employees from accessing AI services, urging ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using AI technologies such as DeepSeek and Chatgpt.
This move reflects growing concerns about the potential risks posed by DeepSeek, which has quickly attracted international attention due to its advanced AI models and is able to provide complex responses without heavy computing requirements.
South Korea’s decision follows actions taken by several other countries, raising concerns about data security and the possibility of foreign impact through AI technology. Earlier this month, state-run South Korean hydropower and nuclear power blocked access to DeepSeek and other AI-generating services, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs restricted the use of the service on computers connected to external networks.
Except South Korea, Australia has taken a strong stance on DeepSeek, with the government banning all its services from government systems and equipment at national security risks. Home Secretary Tony Burke stressed that the decision was based on concerns about the potential threat posed by DeepSeek to Australia’s national security, rather than the company’s Chinese origins. Burke’s warning also extends to Australian citizens, suggesting that they protect their online privacy.
Taiwan also bans government agencies and critical infrastructure providers from using DeepSeek, citing similar concerns about the risks of cross-border data transmission and information leakage. The Ministry of Digital Affairs stressed that AI tools threaten national information security due to their ties to the Chinese authorities.
Meanwhile, Italy’s privacy regulators have blocked DeepSeek to protect consumer data and investigate the company’s data collection practices. Other European countries, including France, followed suit. France’s CNIL data regulator announced it will interact with DeepSeek to assess risks associated with data processing.
In the United States, DeepSeek faces scrutiny from the government and private sectors. The U.S. Congress office has been told not to use AI tools because it is still under review. The Pentagon also restricts access to the service, with regulators in the UK and Ireland raising alarms about the potential security implications of using Chinese AI models.
As global attention to DeepSeek grows, the startup faces challenges in the form of government regulations as it grows globally. Despite the low-cost product offerings, the security risks of the service still raise global alerts.
