Did South Korean President Lee Apologise for the Data Centre Fire's Public Impact?
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Synopsis
In a recent emergency meeting, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung apologised for the chaos caused by a state data centre fire. He acknowledged the lack of adequate emergency measures and emphasized the need for improved safety protocols to prevent future incidents.
Key Takeaways
- President Lee Jae Myung apologised for the public inconvenience caused by the data centre fire.
- The fire resulted from a lithium-ion battery explosion.
- 96 out of 647 online systems were directly impacted.
- Immediate restoration efforts are underway for unaffected systems.
- A call for a thorough investigation has been made to prevent future incidents.
Seoul, Sep 28 (NationPress) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his regret on Sunday over the disruptions experienced by citizens following a fire at the state data centre, which severely affected services across various sectors. He highlighted the absence of an emergency response system to manage what he termed a foreseeable incident.
During an emergency meeting, Lee addressed the public's frustration after the fire, which erupted at the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon due to a lithium-ion battery explosion, interrupted numerous online services and networks, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
"The public is facing significant inconvenience and anxiety due to the fire. As the nation's leader, I sincerely apologise," he stated.
Lee urged for immediate and continuous efforts to restore essential public systems and ensure their functionality to avoid further disruptions in daily services, including financial transactions, delivery of goods, and transportation.
The President criticized the absence of an emergency recovery strategy, emphasizing that critical network infrastructure remained inoperable several days post-fire. He called for a comprehensive investigation, noting a similar incident occurred two years ago, suggesting inadequate preparations may have failed to safeguard key network systems.
"This incident was predictable, yet there were no preventive measures in place. It's not that the measures were ineffective—they simply didn't exist," he remarked, adding, "This is unfathomable."
He instructed officials to enhance the fundamental security and safety protocols of government networks and to develop both medium- and long-term strategies to avert future occurrences, including the implementation of a 'double-layer operating system' for state computer networks.
"It is shocking that such a vital network lacked even a dual-layer contingency system to respond swiftly to damage from external factors," he stated. "A dual-operation system is absolutely necessary, and I will thoroughly investigate why it was not established until now."
Out of the 647 online systems that were halted, 96 systems suffered direct damage from the fire. The government commenced restoring 551 unaffected computer systems in an attempt to ensure normal functionality of services.
Point of View
It is essential to acknowledge the serious implications of this incident. President Lee's admission of responsibility reflects a commitment to transparency. The lack of preparedness raises crucial questions about the safety of public infrastructure. The government must act decisively to restore public trust and ensure such incidents do not occur in the future.
NationPress
28/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the fire at the South Korean data centre?
The fire at the National Information Resources Service was triggered by a lithium-ion battery explosion.
How did the fire affect public services?
The fire disrupted numerous online services and networks, impacting daily activities like financial transactions and transportation.
What measures did President Lee propose?
President Lee called for the establishment of a double-layer operating system for state networks and a thorough investigation into the incident.
How many systems were affected by the fire?
Out of 647 online systems, 96 were directly damaged, while efforts are underway to restore the remaining 551 systems.
What has President Lee said about the lack of emergency measures?
He criticized the absence of an emergency restoration mechanism, stating that it is incomprehensible for such a critical network to lack adequate preparation.
