Seoul, Feb 5 : The foreign and trade ministries here on Wednesday blocked access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) service DeepSeek amid concerns about user data collection.

According to multiple ministry sources, access to the service has been restricted on ministry computers connected to external networks.

A ministry official told Yonhap News Agency that a message indicating access is restricted appears when attempting to visit the site.

The two ministries are among the key government departments handling sensitive data related to foreign affairs and trade.

The move is viewed as part of the government's efforts to proactively address concerns that important government data could be compromised while officials use generative AI services.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety sent a letter the previous day to government agencies, and metropolitan and provincial governments, urging caution when using AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. The letter is said to emphasize the importance of not sharing personal details and refraining from blindly trusting the outcomes provided by these services.

On the business front, Kakao prohibited the use of DeepSeek for business purposes Tuesday, becoming the first major tech company to do so. LG Uplus implemented a similar policy earlier on Wednesday.

Other major tech companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Group and LG Electronics, which are all developing their own generative AI services, have banned such programmes on company computers without prior authorisation.

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI app, has been facing increasing scrutiny worldwide. Dutch authorities recently launched an investigation into its privacy policies, questioning how the app handles users' personal data.

Similar restrictions have been imposed in other countries.

DeepSeek is being touted as an alternative to OpenAI's ChatGPT, amid reported probes by OpenAI and Microsoft if DeepSeek copied their APIs.

/IANS