Bad news for DeepSeek users in South Korea. The countrys regulator announced on Monday that the Chinese AI app is now banned in South Korea under allegations that it fails to comply with local data protection laws. As a result, both Apple and Google will have to remove the app from their respective app stores.DeepSeek AI temporarily banned in South KoreaAs reported by Reuters, South Koreas data protection authority has ordered tech companies like Apple and Google to implement measures to block downloads of the app. Despite this, DeepSeek can still be accessed via a web browser in the country at least for now. The regulator claims that the app doesnt comply with the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) law.The report mentions that DeepSeek has already appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged that it partially neglected the considerations of the countrys data protection law. A spokesperson for Chinas Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that the Chinese government attaches great importance to data privacy and security and protected it in accordance with the law.According to South Koreas regulator, DeepSeek can resume operations there as soon as it implements changes to ensure that the app complies with the countrys privacy law.For those unfamiliar, DeepSeek is a Chinese AI startup that became popular after launching a new model called R1, which performs just as well as competing AI models but using far fewer hardware resources. DeepSeek was recently praised by Apple CEO Tim Cook, but has caused a lot of controversy due to its origin.Italy was the first country to ban DeepSeek for privacy reasons, while a US senator has created a bill that aims to fine those who use Chinese AI.DeepSeek reached the top of the US App Store last month, overtaking OpenAIs ChatGPT. The app is currently the 13th most downloaded in the ranking.Photo bySolen FeyissaonUnsplash.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel