Photo = Yonhap news

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] The South Korean government has blocked access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model "DeepSeek" on official work computers used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of National Defense.


According to government officials on Wednesday, these ministries decided independently to restrict access to DeepSeek on computers connected to external networks. Given that these ministries handle sensitive diplomatic, trade, and national security matters, the move is seen as a precautionary measure to prevent potential information leaks.


An official from one of the ministries stated, "When attempting to access DeepSeek from a work computer, a message appears indicating that access is restricted."


Previously, the National Intelligence Service and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety issued security guidelines to government agencies and local governments, advising them to avoid entering personal information when using generative AI. An industry ministry official added, "Access has been temporarily blocked until further guidelines are issued."


Public institutions are also joining the effort. On February 1, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power posted an internal notice titled "Prohibition of Using the Chinese AI Service DeepSeek" on its internal network. Private companies are taking similar steps, with LG Uplus issuing an information security notice restricting DeepSeek usage. Kakao, which recently partnered with OpenAI, also announced a ban on using DeepSeek for internal business purposes.


According to DeepSeek’s terms of service, the AI chatbot collects a wide range of user data, including names, birth dates, device information, keyboard input patterns, and IP addresses, all of which are stored on servers in China. Additionally, user-inputted text can be used as AI training data, raising concerns over potential misuse of sensitive personal information.

 

 

 

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