South Korea's Digital Recovery: After the Blaze

A fire at South Korea's National Information Resources Service disrupted digital government services. Restorations are ongoing, but the incident highlights vulnerabilities in essential infrastructure. President Lee Jae Myung calls for enhanced system security and budgets for emergency solutions as investigators probe a potential battery explosion cause.

South Korea is in recovery mode after a significant fire at the National Information Resources Service data center led to disruptions in 46 government services. The incident, which authorities suspect started from a battery explosion, affected major systems including those operated by Korea Customs and the National Police Agency.

According to Safety Minister Yun Hojung, while key services like Government24 and Korea Post's financial systems are gradually coming back online, the restoration of 96 other systems remains challenging. The fire, which struck during maintenance, had severe impacts on mobile ID functions crucial for internet banking.

President Lee Jae Myung has instructed for substantial enhancements in government system security. This call includes proposals for emergency budgets to prevent future outages. As investigations continue, LG Energy Solution, suspected of producing the faulty battery, has refrained from immediate comments, citing an ongoing investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)