SEOUL — South Korea’s intelligence agency has accused the Chinese AI app DeepSeek of excessively collecting personal data and using all user inputs for training. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) issued a notice to government agencies last week, advising them to take security measures against the app.

According to the NIS, DeepSeek differs from other generative AI services because it transfers chat records and collects keyboard input patterns that can identify individuals. It also communicates with Chinese company servers, such as volceapplog.com. Additionally, South Korean users' data is stored on Chinese servers, making it accessible to the Chinese government under local laws. In response to these concerns, some South Korean ministries have blocked access to the app, following similar actions by Australia and Taiwan.

The NIS also flagged inconsistencies in DeepSeek’s responses to sensitive cultural and political topics. For instance, when asked in Korean about the origin of kimchi, the app confirmed it as a Korean dish. However, when the same question was posed in Chinese, it claimed the dish originated from China—an ongoing source of dispute between South Koreans and Chinese social media users.

The agency further accused DeepSeek of political censorship, particularly on topics like the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. When asked about the event, the app avoided the question and suggested discussing something else.

DeepSeek has not responded to the allegations. When questioned about South Korea’s decision to restrict the app, China’s foreign ministry maintained that it prioritizes data privacy and security, ensuring compliance with local laws. The spokesperson also insisted that Beijing does not compel any company or individual to collect or store data unlawfully.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file.