Joint Inspection with National Forensic Service...
Detailed Battery Analysis Planned
Ministry of the Interior and Safety Explains,
"Regular Inspections Conducted, No Issues Found"
Police: "Restoration of Government Services and Investigation of the Cause Proceeding Simultaneously"
The police have launched a full-scale investigation to determine the cause of the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS), which paralyzed the government's computer network.
The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 28th that it is conducting a joint inspection with the National Forensic Service and other agencies, and has formed a dedicated investigation team of about 20 members, focusing on the "aged battery" identified as the cause of the fire.
The dedicated investigation team, led by Detective Chief Kim Yongil, is concentrating its efforts on uncovering the cause of the explosion in the lithium-ion battery used for the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system where the fire broke out. To this end, the police secured some facility components the previous day and requested analysis from the National Forensic Service. They also plan to conduct a detailed inspection of the batteries currently stored in a tank after stabilization work.
The most likely cause of the fire at this point is considered to be "battery aging." According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the UPS battery that caught fire was delivered in August 2014, exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended service life of 10 years by about one year. The ministry explained, "The battery underwent regular inspections by the management company, and no issues were found during the last inspection."
The possibility of "worker error" during the battery replacement process has also been raised. Some in the industry have suggested that a short circuit may have occurred if workers removed wires without cutting the power. However, the NIRS stated, "The power was cut off, and the sparks appeared 40 minutes later," indicating a discrepancy with this claim.
A police official stated, "Restoring government services is our top priority, so we will monitor the recovery process while thoroughly investigating the circumstances and cause of the fire through detailed inspections."
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