SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A fire at a state-run data center in central South Korea triggered a massive network outage that left government services crippled and disrupted daily life for millions over the weekend, officials said.
The blaze broke out Friday evening when a lithium-ion battery exploded inside the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon, about 100 miles south of Seoul, according to police and fire officials.
The government preemptively shut down 647 online systems, including the country’s mobile identification app, as servers overheated and humidity controls failed, Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae told reporters.
Of those systems, 436 serve the public directly while 211 are used internally by government officials — nearly a third of the government’s online infrastructure. The fire, which burned for 22 hours before being extinguished Saturday, left behind a tangle of disabled servers and frayed public trust.
The shutdown rippled through daily life in a country that prides itself on its digital efficiency. Citizens reported being unable to pay with debit cards issued by Korea Post or transfer funds through postal accounts. Others were unable to retrieve essential certificates, such as family records or residency documents, needed for everything from schooling to real estate transactions.
Even emergency services were affected. The 119 rescue system’s location-tracking function, which pinpoints distressed callers, was knocked offline. Commuters who normally rely on digital ID for discounted fares on buses, trains, or planes were told to carry physical identification instead.
“We apologize for causing great inconvenience to the public by delaying civil applications and the issuance of certificates,” Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said.
The government has promised swift repairs, with officials racing to restore critical functions such as postal and financial services. Tax filing deadlines and document submissions will be postponed until systems are operational again, and citizens have been advised to visit offices in person where possible.
Authorities said the risk of permanent data loss was minimal because the facility operates a four-stage backup system. Still, police and fire investigators are working to determine the precise cause of the blaze and assess the full extent of the damage.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok issued a public apology on Saturday, while President Lee Jae Myung convened an emergency meeting on Sunday.
“President Lee called for the urgency of restoring critical government services that have been disrupted by the incident,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo Jung said. “Lee told officials to concentrate all capabilities on the swift restoration and operation of government systems."
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