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Beijing slams 'politicization' after Seoul instigates DeepSeek block

Published: 18 Feb. 2025, 17:24 Updated: 18 Feb. 2025, 18:05

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

This photo illustration from Feb. 17 shows screens displaying the app and webpage of the Chinese AI DeepSeek. [AFP/YONHAP]

Beijing requested that Seoul stop "politicizing" trade and technology issues in a comment made in direct response to the government-instigated suspension of access to the DeepSeek app in Korea.

The remark was made by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, at a press briefing on Monday after the app was pulled from mobile stores in accordance with a directive from Korea’s privacy regulator, citing cybersecurity concerns on allegations that DeepSeek sent users’ personal data to China’s ByteDance.

“Let me stress that Chinese government, as always, asks our companies to strictly abide by local laws and regulations in doing business overseas,” he said when asked about the ministry’s stance regarding the issue. “We also hope that relevant countries can refrain from broadening the concept of national security on trade and tech issues and politicizing them.”

New downloads of the DeepSeek app were suspended for users based in Korea from Feb. 15, although users who have already installed the app before that date can still use the service. They can also access the chatbot via the web.

Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission said on Monday that its ongoing investigation into DeepSeek’s data security policies revealed evidence of user data being leaked to TikTok operator ByteDance. However, the commission did not specify the types of data involved, the extent of the breach or its intended use.

The probe was initially triggered by privacy concerns after multiple government agencies and private corporations blocked access to the service on their office devices.

DeepSeek, which hired a local representative on Feb. 10, voluntarily complied with the government’s request to suspend access to the app and said that it will actively collaborate with the government-led investigation, admitting negligence of Korea’s data protection laws.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]