A massive fire at a South Korean government data center has triggered a nationwide digital crisis, crippling hundreds of critical public services and exposing vulnerabilities in the nation’s digital infrastructure. The incident, caused by a lithium-ion battery explosion during routine maintenance, has sent shockwaves through the country’s tech-reliant government operations .
What Happened in Daejeon?
On the evening of Friday, September 26, 2025, a fire erupted on the fifth floor of the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) building in Daejeon, a city located roughly 130 kilometers south of Seoul . The blaze was sparked by the explosion of a lithium-ion battery in a computer room .
The fire, while contained, caused catastrophic damage to the facility’s core IT systems. The immediate consequence was the shutdown of a staggering 647 government IT systems, effectively paralyzing a wide array of online services for citizens and businesses .
Services Impacted by the Outage
The outage has had a profound impact on daily life and administrative functions across South Korea. Key services affected include:
- Public Safety & Administration: Police report filing, emergency alert systems, and civil complaint portals.
- Healthcare: National health insurance service claims and hospital administrative systems.
- Finance & Business: Tax filing portals, business registration, and customs clearance systems.
- Citizen Services: Online applications for passports, driver’s licenses, and welfare benefits.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo issued a public apology, acknowledging the severe disruption and pledging a full investigation into the incident .
A Recurring Nightmare: Lithium-Ion Risks in Data Centers
This is not an isolated event. South Korea has a troubling history with lithium-ion battery fires in critical infrastructure. A similar incident in 2022 at an SK Group building in Seongnam, which housed data centers for major tech firms Kakao and Naver, caused widespread communication blackouts [[15], [19]].
The core danger lies in a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, where a single failing battery cell can trigger a chain reaction of overheating and explosions in adjacent cells, making such fires extremely difficult to control .
The Safety Protocol Breakdown
Data centers rely on Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) with battery banks to provide backup power during outages. While lithium-ion batteries are favored for their high energy density and efficiency, they require stringent safety measures, including a robust Battery Management System (BMS) to monitor temperature, voltage, and overall health .
The fact that this explosion occurred during maintenance work raises serious questions about adherence to safety protocols and the adequacy of current regulations .
🔍 Key Facts: The South Korea Data Center Fire
| Date & Time | September 26, 2025 (Evening) |
| Location | National Information Resources Service (NIRS), Daejeon |
| Direct Cause | Lithium-ion battery explosion during maintenance |
| Systems Affected | 647 government IT systems |
| Government Response | Public apology from PM; full investigation launched |
Global Implications and the Path Forward
This incident is a stark warning for nations worldwide that are increasingly dependent on centralized digital infrastructure. The event underscores the urgent need for:
- Stricter Safety Regulations: Enforcing more rigorous international standards (like KC62133 in South Korea ) for battery installation and maintenance in critical facilities.
- Investment in Redundancy: Developing geographically dispersed data centers to prevent a single point of failure from causing a national crisis.
- Exploring Safer Alternatives: Accelerating research and adoption of next-generation battery technologies, such as all-solid-state batteries, which are touted as a safer solution to the recurring fire risks .
For now, South Korean officials are working around the clock to restore services from backup systems. The full recovery timeline remains uncertain, but the incident has already ignited a crucial national debate on digital resilience. Learn more about global data center safety trends at [INTERNAL_LINK:data-center-safety]. For an in-depth look at the technical risks, see this analysis from the IEEE.
Sources
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/world/asia/south-korea-fire-government-data-center.html
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/27/south-korean-pm-apologises-after-data-centre-fire-halts-govt-services
- https://www.reuters.com/technology/south-korea-data-center-fire-disrupts-government-online-services-2025-09-27/
- https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/09/105_394821.html
- https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250927001100325
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7d9e5d0-5b0a-4b0f-9b0a-4b0f9b0a4b0f
- https://www.ieee.org/
