25.09.27.Today News : Fire at National Information Resources Service Shuts Down 647 Government Systems

Fire at National Information Resources Service Shuts Down 647 Government Systems

📍Battery replacement sparks blaze, halting 436 public services including Government24 and mobile ID

A massive fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon has paralyzed 647 government IT systems, including 436 public services directly used by citizens. While the fire was extinguished after 22 hours, the outage continues to disrupt essential administrative services such as Government24, mobile ID issuance, and online petition systems.

A fire at the National Information Resource Management Agency in Daejeon paralyzed 647 key government computer networks.

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■ Fire Caused by Old Battery Explosion in 5th Floor Data Center
On the evening of September 26, a massive fire broke out in the data center on the 5th floor of the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) headquarters in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, causing a large-scale disruption to government IT systems. The fire originated from an outdated lithium-ion battery, installed in 2014 and well past its warranty period, which sparked during an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) replacement process. Thirteen workers on site evacuated immediately, with one sustaining first-degree burns to the face and arms.

■ Firefighting Operation and Damage Report
The fire was reported at 8:15 p.m., and 227 personnel along with 67 vehicles, including special chemical units from Sejong, were deployed. The major flames were brought under control after 10 hours, and full extinguishment was achieved by 6 p.m. on the 27th. Of the 384 lithium-ion batteries in the data center, most were destroyed, and 133 were placed in water tanks to prevent reignition.

■ 647 Government Services Halted
The fire caused the shutdown of 647 government IT systems, including 436 public-facing services and 211 administrative systems.
The suspended services include People’s Sinmungo (public petition portal), the Internet Post Office, Bokjiro (welfare services portal), Government24, the National Secretary service, mobile ID, the Information Disclosure System, On-nara document system, Safe Report, Safe Stepping Stone, and procurement platforms such as Nara Market.
The suspension has directly disrupted daily life, especially as unmanned civil service kiosks and mobile resident registration services became unavailable.

■ Emergency Response and Recovery Efforts
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) was immediately activated, with Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung chairing a meeting to coordinate response measures. The Ministry announced through online portals such as Naver that tax payments and administrative document submissions will be extended until after system restoration.
The National Fire Agency stated that joint inspections with the police will be conducted to determine the exact cause and assess the scale of damage. Recovery operations are underway in cooperation with multiple government agencies.

■ Urgent Need for Preventive Measures
The incident highlighted serious vulnerabilities in the nation’s IT infrastructure. Experts criticized the lack of systematic equipment replacement and emphasized the need for stronger safety protocols. They called for urgent improvements such as shorter replacement cycles for core equipment, stricter safety regulations, and the establishment of distributed backup systems to prevent nationwide disruptions from a single point of failure.

■ Public Inconvenience and the Need for Transparency
As citizens face growing inconvenience due to halted services, there is increasing demand for interim support systems and transparent communication about the scale of the damage. Experts stress that the government must prioritize public convenience, accelerate recovery efforts, and announce clear preventive measures to reassure the public once the systems are restored.

One-line summary : A fire at the National Information Resources Service halted 647 government systems, causing widespread public inconvenience.