ED Data center failure

A government employee tags her ID to enter Government Complex Seoul on Monday. A sign hanging on the gate say that due to the fire at the National Information Resources Service, mobile ID is not working. Yonhap

A fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon Friday reveals a disturbing truth: Korea has not learned from its past mistakes.

A similar outage occurred three years ago when a fire broke out at the data center of KakaoTalk, the country’s leading instant messaging and online services platform, disrupting messaging and related services for several days. Kakao was heavily criticized at the time for lacking a proper backup system — something that could have ensured uninterrupted service despite the damage.

Last week, a nearly identical disaster struck again — this time at the national data center tasked with operating, securing and managing centralized information systems and communication networks for central and local governments, as well as public institutions. Despite the painful lessons from the KakaoTalk shutdown, the NIRS faced the same failure. It, too, lacked a redundant system that could have prevented the service outage.

The NIRS fire has caused unprecedented disruptions, immobilizing several vital services and creating major inconveniences for citizens.

As multiple online systems went offline, services directly tied to people’s daily lives were severely affected. Citizens in need of urgent medical assistance suffered as 119 dispatchers were unable to track callers’ locations. Postal services, including financial transactions, were halted as systems went dark. People needing government-issued certificates for housing contracts or other urgent matters were left frustrated, unable to access essential documents.

On Sunday, President Lee Jae Myung issued an apology. “Citizens are suffering the consequences of these disruptions, and many are worried about the incident," he said. "As the leader in charge of state affairs, I am truly sorry for the inconvenience and concern this has caused.”

However, Lee also pointed his finger at the previous administration, blaming it for failing to establish proper redundancy systems. “There was supposed to be a backup system to immediately take over operations when the data center goes down due to a disaster like this,” he said during an emergency Cabinet meeting on Sunday. “But such a system doesn’t exist. That is shocking.”

Lee ordered an investigation into why the former Yoon Suk Yeol government failed to implement data duplication systems, noting that the nation had already experienced a similar disaster when the Kakao data center fire caused a dayslong shutdown. Like the NIRS, Kakao lacked backup systems that could seamlessly take over when primary systems failed.

Lee is right about one thing: Korea clearly failed to learn from the past. As he pointed out, the national data center should have had redundant systems ready to prevent service disruptions during emergencies. It didn’t. And now the country is paying the price.

But finding a scapegoat won’t solve the problem. Blaming the previous administration might divert public anger from the current administration, but it won’t prevent future crises. Lee is the president now, and he bears responsibility for addressing systemic failures on his watch. Responsible leaders learn from the past and fix the problem. They don’t just point fingers.

But the inconveniences the Korean public has endured since Saturday pale in comparison to a far more serious issue Lee must address: national security.

The fire-driven outages affecting major services are not just an inconvenience — they pose a direct security threat to the nation.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition People Power Party highlighted this concern, stressing that the NIRS fire should not be dismissed as a mere accident that just happened to bring down critical systems. She argued that the shutdown has left Korea vulnerable, noting that immigration officials may struggle to properly screen incoming foreign visitors. Without functional systems, it could be difficult for them to identify whether certain individuals are criminals or even potential terrorists posing as tourists.

The lawmaker specifically pointed to the risks tied to the recent visa-free entry program for Chinese group tourists, which began on Monday. She argued that the visa waiver program should be temporarily suspended given that immigration authorities may lack the means to effectively track entrants due to the ongoing system disruptions. Without proper tracking, she warned, the risk of illegal immigration could rise significantly.

Rep. Ko Min-jung of the Democratic Party of Korea quickly dismissed Na’s concerns, labeling her a far-right extremist and accusing her of spreading fear by demonizing Chinese tourists.

But Ko’s reaction was misguided, if not reckless. Preparing for the worst is a basic duty of political leadership, especially in times of crisis. What Na raised was a legitimate national security concern — one that deserves serious debate, not partisan name-calling. Respecting reasonable doubt and addressing potential risks should be the first step toward bipartisan cooperation in crafting constructive solutions.