What Happened in South Korea? 47 Civil Application Services Restored After Data Center Fire
Click to start listening
Synopsis
A significant fire at South Korea's National Information Resources Service has resulted in the restoration of 47 vital public services. While the government works on full recovery, many citizens are left grappling with the aftermath. The situation has led to increased demand for services just before the Chuseok holiday.
Key Takeaways
- 47 public services restored after a fire incident.
- The fire occurred at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS).
- Government prioritizes restoration of services affecting safety and economy.
- 96 systems were significantly damaged and will take about two weeks to restore.
- Increased demand for services expected ahead of Chuseok holiday.
Seoul, Sep 29 (NationPress) A total of 47 public services, including a major government portal and the banking division of the national postal service, were successfully restored on Monday after an outage caused by a fire at the state data management agency.
As of 8:30 a.m., 47 out of 647 civil application services that were halted due to Friday's fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon, approximately 140 kilometers south of Seoul, have come back online, as reported by the interior ministry.
The government has stated that the focus remains on restoring services that directly impact public safety and economic activities. However, the slow pace of normalization may lead to delays in many administrative tasks as local government offices prepare to reopen on Monday after the weekend.
Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung announced that the restored services include GOV.KR, the main government portal for civil application services, as well as the banking segment of Korea Post, the national postal service.
"I sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience caused to the public due to this issue," he expressed, bowing in apology during a meeting of the government's Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in the central administrative city of Sejong.
The minister mentioned that it would be challenging to immediately restore services associated with the 96 systems that were destroyed in the fire. However, the government is committed to relocating these services to a cloud facility at NIRS’ branch in the southeastern city of Daegu and will swiftly develop alternatives, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.
He also recognized that public inconvenience is likely to increase due to heightened demand for civil application services after the weekend and directed each ministry and local government to devise strategies to minimize disruptions.
The government has indicated that relocating and reactivating the 96 damaged systems is expected to take about two weeks, meaning a substantial amount of time will be needed for a complete restoration of all services.
For instance, applications for the second round of government-issued consumption coupons will be possible; however, a government site for civil complaints remains suspended, necessitating visits to local community service centers for filing any complaints.
A nationwide cremation booking site has also been impacted by the outage, requiring individuals to contact individual crematoriums either online or by phone.
President Lee Jae Myung issued an apology to the nation on Sunday, stating that the public is facing "great inconvenience and anxiety" as a result of the fire.
He urged the government to expedite the restoration of services ahead of the Chuseok holiday, a period when demand for postal, delivery, and financial services is particularly high.
The fire erupted after a lithium-ion battery exploded in a server room on the fifth floor of the NIRS and was fully extinguished at 6 p.m. on Saturday, approximately 22 hours after the incident, as reported by authorities.
Point of View
The incident underscores the critical need for robust disaster management protocols within governmental infrastructure. While the efforts to restore services are commendable, the impact on citizens' daily lives highlights the importance of ensuring that such systems are resilient and well-prepared for unforeseen events.
NationPress
29/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the outage of civil application services?
The outage was caused by a fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS), triggered by an explosion of a lithium-ion battery in a server room.
How many services were restored after the fire?
A total of 47 public services were restored after the fire incident.
What steps is the government taking to restore other services?
The government is working to relocate the 96 damaged systems to a cloud facility and aims to restore services within approximately two weeks.
How can citizens file complaints during this outage?
Due to the suspension of the government site for civil complaints, citizens must visit local community service centers to file complaints.
What services were affected by the outage?
Services affected include the major government portal GOV.KR, the banking services of Korea Post, and a nationwide cremation booking site.
