Chinese AI app DeepSeek will not be available to download in South Korea pending a review of its handling of user data, authorities in Seoul said Monday.

DeepSeek's R1 chatbot stunned investors and industry insiders with its ability to match the functions of its Western competitors at a fraction of the cost.

But a number of countries have questioned DeepSeek's storage of user data.

Seoul's Personal Information Protection Commission said DeepSeek would no longer be available for download until a review of its personal data collection practices was carried out.

DeepSeek has "acknowledged that considerations for domestic privacy laws were somewhat lacking", the data protection agency said.

It assessed that bringing the app into line with local privacy laws "would inevitably take a significant amount of time", the agency added.

"To prevent further concerns from spreading, the commission recommended that DeepSeek temporarily suspend its service while making the necessary improvements," it said.

DeepSeek has "accepted" that proposal, it added.

Industry experts have said the Hangzhou-based firm has embraced a more accessible, opensource approach towards AI development, fostering collaboration and experimentation that could lead to faster breakthroughs.

They also said the firm has unveiled large language models challenging the dominate tools developing by its US rivals, but at a lower cost. (AFP & agencies)