KUALA LUMPUR February 10, 2025 – South Korea’s Ministries have taken proactive measures to block China’s emerging Artificial Intelligence model, DeepSeek.
Defense and Trade Ministry Of South Korea says the authorities has restricted DeepSeek’s access to work computers, following it’s failure to respond to a data watchdog inquiry regarding it’s management of user information.
South Korea is among other first world countries to raise questions on the Chinese-owned AI tech’s data practices, handing over a written request for insights on how the company handles the information of their users.
What Is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek captivated the tech market last month with the launch of its first model, R1. Since then, debates have erupted about how this newly introduced model will compete against the renowned ChatGPT. DeepSeek asserts that its technology was developed at just a fraction of the cost that the United States spends on AI models, yet it offers more advanced and sophisticated capabilities.
Although similar, both ChatGPT and DeepSeek were designed with slightly different objectives in mind. Users can expect ChatGPT to provide more general, conversational responses, as it focuses on delivering engaging and accessible dialogue. In contrast, DeepSeek is programmed to specialize in more complex responses, designed to process vast amounts of data and deliver highly refined, detailed information.
This move is similar to Australia’s decision in banning DeepSeek from its government devices last month, also centered on the risks imposed towards their security system. Meanwhile, authorities across Europe nations and the United States are also in the process of evaluating the impacts of using this AI model, as South Korea’s watchdogs intend to question DeepSeek over their data policies.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry told AFP news: “Blocking measures for DeepSeek have been put in place specifically for military-related computers with internet access.” The owning company is yet to respond towards the claims.
Despite receiving positive attention for its functionality and cost-efficient services, DeepSeek is now facing scrunity from government authorities regarding their data protection practices, which results in inquiries and increased oversight. If they fail to provide a valid explanation, more countries are likely to follow suit in banning this technology.
The Government’s Stance On Data Protection
Protecting user data has always been a top priority for governments, as it is their utmost responsibility. By taking such measures, they can safeguard privacy within the country and ensure national security is upheld. This also ensures compliance with regulations on data privacy, which must not be violated. Additionally, it helps maintain public trust in the government while aligning with international standards.
