Full-Scale Fire Recovery Underway... Government to Sequentially Restart NIRS Computer Systems (Comprehensive)

Full-Scale Restoration Efforts After NIRS Fire
99% of Core Security Devices Back Online
Verification Begins for Normal Operation of 551 Systems

The government has begun efforts to restore the computer system services that were disrupted by the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon. The plan is to sequentially restart systems that did not suffer direct damage and check whether services are operating normally.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of 7 a.m. on September 28, more than 50% of the network equipment at the Daejeon branch of the NIRS had been restarted, and 763 out of 767 (99%) core security devices were back online. All 384 lithium-ion batteries for the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, which were completely destroyed by the fire, were removed from the site the previous afternoon. In addition, the precision air conditioning and humidity control equipment, which is essential for stable system operation, was restored at 5:30 a.m. and is now functioning normally.

On the previous day, the 27th, a firefighter is inspecting a burnt battery at the National Information Resources Service in Yuseong District, Daejeon. Photo by Yonhap News

The NIRS houses a total of 647 government computer systems, of which 96 sustained direct damage from the fire. The remaining 551 systems were preemptively shut down to prevent the fire from spreading. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to sequentially restart these 551 systems and verify service normality once the communication and security infrastructure is stabilized.

Kim Kwangyong, Director General of Disaster and Safety Management at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated at a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong, "The government is working to restore administrative services as quickly as possible with a sense of responsibility," adding, "We will transparently disclose the restoration process and the results of the investigation into the cause."

Meanwhile, the fire department, police, and the National Forensic Service began an on-site inspection at 10:30 a.m. on September 28 to investigate the cause of the fire. The fire authorities announced that full extinguishment was completed at 6 p.m. on the previous day, September 27, 22 hours after the fire broke out.