10-Hour Fire at National Information Resource Management Agency: LG Battery Explosion Disables 70 Government Systems
The Fire That Stopped South Korea’s Digital Government at the National Information Resources Service
On the night of September 26, 2025, an unexpected blaze at the National Information Resources Service in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, went beyond a simple fire and paralyzed the entire national computer network. How could a single fire threaten the very infrastructure of a digital government?
At 8:15 PM, a fire broke out in the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) room on the fifth floor of the National Information Resources Service building. This room was nothing less than the heart of stable operations for the government’s core digital services. The fire is believed to have been caused by lithium batteries, which exploded during a power-down procedure amidst battery relocation.
The site contained 192 batteries manufactured by LG Energy Solution. Within minutes, a devastating loss of 384 battery packs occurred. This was not merely a physical loss—it struck at the very foundation of South Korea’s digital government.
Firefighters launched an immediate large-scale suppression effort, but the blaze was unlike any typical building fire. The biggest challenge was protecting data: water damage to computing equipment could cause irreversible destruction, so carbon dioxide fire suppression systems had to be used instead. This unusual condition meant that extinguishing the fire took an excruciating 10 hours.
The National Information Resources Service fire starkly exposed vulnerabilities in South Korea’s digital government. It was a shocking event revealing how a single fire could cripple a nation’s entire digital infrastructure—and just how unprepared the country was for such risks. Now, this incident must serve as a crucial lesson to build a stronger, safer digital government infrastructure for the future.
The Flames Ignited by Lithium Batteries and the Challenges in Extinguishing the Fire at the National Intelligence Resource Management Agency
The fire at the National Intelligence Resource Management Agency was not just a simple building fire—it was a critical incident threatening the nation’s computer systems. Starting from a lithium battery explosion, the fire escalated due to the chain reaction of numerous batteries, making extinguishing efforts extremely difficult. Why was this fire so hard to suppress?
First, the unique nature of the fire’s location posed major obstacles. The agency’s 5th-floor Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) room was densely packed with 192 lithium batteries. With only a 60cm gap between the batteries and the server room, firefighters’ access was severely limited. This cramped space accelerated the spread of the fire while hampering firefighting operations.
Second, a specialized extinguishing method was required to protect vital data. Unlike typical fires, using water could cause even greater damage, as water contacting electronic equipment would result in irreparable harm. Thus, firefighters had to primarily rely on carbon dioxide suppression systems, which lowered the efficiency of extinguishing efforts.
Third, the nature of lithium battery fires involves thermal runaway. The fire originating in one battery spread in a chain reaction to others, rapidly increasing the fire’s scale. This chain reaction intensified the blaze and prolonged its duration.
As a result of these complex factors, it took about 10 hours to fully extinguish the fire at the National Intelligence Resource Management Agency. This incident strongly underscores the urgent need to thoroughly reassess fire response protocols in critical facilities like data centers.
Government’s Emergency Response to the Fire at the National Information Resources Service Agency
The massive fire at the National Information Resources Service Agency swiftly escalated into a national crisis. As the fire spread, the government declared a ‘Warning’ crisis alert and launched round-the-clock situation management. What information was provided to the public, and how did the government respond amid this emergency?
Rapid Issuance of Crisis Alert and Activation of Response System
Immediately after the fire broke out, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety convened an emergency situation assessment meeting chaired by Minister Yoon Ho-jung. Following this meeting, the crisis alert was raised to the ‘Warning’ level, and the Crisis Situation Response Headquarters was promptly activated. This reflected the government’s recognition of the severity of the fire and its decisive commitment to swift response.
Establishment of 24-Hour Monitoring System
The Crisis Situation Response Headquarters continuously monitored the situation 24/7, devising real-time response strategies. Through this, they kept close tabs on fire suppression progress, system recovery status, and the ongoing impact on citizens’ daily lives.
Public Guidance Messages Issued
To minimize public confusion, the government decided to provide clear and precise updates through public guidance messages. These communications detailed service disruptions caused by the fire, expected recovery timelines, and instructions for using alternative services.
Investigation of Damage and Safety Inspections Conducted
Simultaneously with firefighting efforts, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety initiated safety inspections of IT equipment and began assessing the extent of the damage. This critical first step was aimed at formulating recovery plans and establishing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Deployment of Alternative Services and Commencement of Restoration Work
The government worked swiftly to devise alternatives for 70 suspended electronic system services. Priority was placed on restoring services intimately tied to daily life, such as the People’s Petition Service (Minwon), mobile identification cards, and mobile government employee IDs.
The fire at the National Information Resources Service Agency exposed vulnerabilities in the digital government era. Taking this incident as a lesson, the government must develop stronger crisis response systems and infrastructure protection measures. At the same time, citizens need to recognize the hidden risks behind digital service conveniences and familiarize themselves with emergency response procedures.
Confusion in Citizens' Daily Lives Due to Paralysis of 70 Government Electronic Services
The fire incident at the National Information Resources Service has been recorded as a major event that shook the entire digital infrastructure of South Korea, going beyond mere physical facility damage. With over 70 government electronic services simultaneously paralyzed, the incident caused significant disruption to citizens' everyday lives.
Inconveniences from Major Service Outages
The most tangible inconveniences felt by the public were the interruptions to key services they used routinely.
National Petition System (국민신문고): The suspension of this system, which plays a central role in handling civil petitions, resulted in citizens’ voices failing to reach the government.
Mobile ID: The mobile ID service, an essential tool in the digital era, was halted, causing considerable inconvenience for many users.
Mobile Government Employee ID: The paralysis of the ID verification system for government employees disrupted administrative work.
These service outages went beyond mere inconvenience, leading to delays in some critical administrative procedures.
Partial Malfunction of Fire Department Systems Raises Safety Concerns
Even more worrisome was the malfunction in certain functions of the Fire Department’s systems, directly linked to public safety. Fortunately, nationwide 119 emergency call reception and dispatch systems operated normally, but issues arose in video reporting systems and emergency smart systems. This could potentially impair emergency response capabilities, heightening public anxiety.
Wide-ranging Impact and Urgency of Recovery
The service disruptions caused by the National Information Resources Service fire temporarily severed communication channels between the government and citizens and caused significant setbacks in routine administrative tasks and civil petition processing. This incident starkly revealed both the importance and vulnerability of digital infrastructure in today’s society.
The government is conducting swift recovery efforts but full restoration is expected to take considerable time. During this period, citizens’ understanding and cooperation are essential, and the government must minimize inconvenience through transparent information disclosure and the provision of alternative services.
This incident served as a stark reminder of the critical importance of the stability of national core infrastructure and disaster preparedness systems. Urgent and thorough measures to prevent such large-scale service outages in the future are imperative.
Challenges and Solutions for the Future of Digital Infrastructure: After the National Information Resources Service Agency Fire
The fire at the National Information Resources Service Agency starkly exposed the vulnerabilities of South Korea’s digital government services. This incident was not just an accident but a serious wake-up call for the nation’s digital safety net. To prevent such disasters in the future and to build a more resilient digital infrastructure, the following technical, operational, and policy measures are essential.
Technical Measures: Enhancing Safety and Resilience
Implementation of Advanced Fire Prevention Systems: Install specialized extinguishing systems and early-warning devices that account for the risks posed by lithium batteries.
Improvement of Data Center Design Standards: Ensure safe distances between servers and batteries, establish efficient ventilation systems, and adopt designs that prevent fire spread.
Establishment of Real-Time Monitoring Systems: Deploy AI-based anomaly detection systems to proactively prevent incidents.
Operational Measures: Distribution and Redundancy
Decentralization of Services: Distribute critical services across multiple data centers to eliminate single points of failure.
Strengthening Real-Time Backup Systems: Enable rapid recovery through real-time backups of key data and systems.
Regular Disaster Response Drills: Enhance employees’ crisis management skills and continuously improve operational manuals.
Policy Measures: Legal Refinement and Strengthened Collaboration
Tightening Data Center Safety Standards: Enforce stricter safety standards for nationally critical facilities and mandate regular inspections.
Establishing Public-Private Partnership Frameworks: Facilitate swift deployment of alternative infrastructure during emergencies by collaborating with private cloud service providers.
Legislation to Ensure Continuity of Digital Government Services: Create legal foundations to guarantee uninterrupted delivery of core government services during disasters.
The Direction of Future Government Services
Following the fire at the National Information Resources Service Agency, our government services must evolve along these lines:
Transition to Cloud-Based Services: Reduce dependency on physical infrastructure, enhancing flexibility and scalability.
Utilization of Edge Computing: Shift from centralized data processing to distributed processing to disperse failure risks.
Adoption of Blockchain Technology: Increase data integrity and trust while boosting security through distributed storage.
AI-Powered Predictive Maintenance: Build intelligent maintenance systems that forecast and prevent system failures in advance.
This incident has made the vulnerabilities of digital government unmistakably clear. It is now time to learn from this lesson and forge a safer, more reliable digital infrastructure. Ensuring the continuity and security of government services that directly impact citizens’ daily lives is no longer optional—it is imperative. The government, private sector, and citizens must unite to drive this transformative change forward.
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