Acting Fire Agency Chief: "Strengthening Fire Management for Battery Facilities Such as Data Centers" [2025 Audit]

National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee Audit
"Strengthening Management in Response to Future Environmental Changes"

Kim Seungryong, Acting Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, stated, "We will further strengthen fire safety management for battery storage and handling facilities, such as data centers."

On October 15, during the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit, Acting Commissioner Kim said, "We will enhance fire safety management in response to changes in the future disaster environment." Referring to recent data center fires, including those at the National Information Resources Service, he added, "We will improve the system to detect electric vehicle fires more quickly and ensure they are promptly reported to the fire department."

Yonhap News Agency

Acting Commissioner Kim explained, "Social disasters such as this year's data center and old apartment fires, as well as natural disasters caused by the climate crisis, including large-scale wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts, have served as reminders of the role and mission of the fire service."

He also stated, "To prepare for climate crises such as wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts, we will mobilize national firefighting resources from the disaster prediction stage and establish a sophisticated response system that deploys optimal firefighting forces to the right places at the right times."

Specifically, he said, "To enable faster on-site response, we will reduce the arrival times of fire trucks and helicopters and work with relevant agencies to improve the rapid transfer of critically ill patients."

He also announced plans to advance firefighting equipment and foster the firefighting industry. Acting Commissioner Kim explained, "As artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies have become new pillars of disaster response, we will transition the 119 system to an AI platform and, at the national level, expand the distribution of effective high-performance equipment at disaster sites to better prepare for future disasters and climate crises."

He continued, "We will expand fire-related R&D and, through close collaboration with industry, academia, and research institutions, generate research outcomes that can be applied in real disaster situations. We will also strengthen national-level support to ensure these research achievements contribute to the development and export of the firefighting industry."

Finally, Acting Commissioner Kim said, "To strengthen the core field response capabilities of the fire service, we will expand practical training for everyone from new recruits to commanders and build public trust by efficiently managing the organization, including redeploying firefighting resources as needed."