Aftermath of National Data Center Fire... Core Trade Operations at Ministry of Industry Also Disrupted

Yonhap News Agency

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The aftermath of the fire at the National Information Resources Service Data Center has paralyzed the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's core administrative systems, raising concerns that key industrial and trade issues may face disruptions. The incident has exposed the reality that a single data center failure can immediately impact the credibility of trade authorities and business operations, highlighting the vulnerability of the national digital administrative system.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on September 29, a total of 21 services operated by the ministry and its affiliated agencies are currently not functioning properly due to the fire. Of these, 11 are public-facing services and 10 are internal administrative systems.

Particularly concerning is the inclusion of sensitive functions such as strategic goods export reviews, the filing of unfair trade practice cases, and the processing of various permits and licenses, which could have significant ripple effects. As an emergency measure, the ministry has switched online applications to manual submissions, and result notifications are now being sent via paper documents and fax. Strategic goods export reviews are also being temporarily handled via email instead of the dedicated platform. A ministry official stated, "Strategic goods reviews and trade administration are critical issues directly linked to both national security and business operations. Although we are strongly requesting restoration, these services are currently being deprioritized in the overall government recovery process."

On the surface, it may appear that only the submission channels have changed, but conditions felt by businesses on the ground are much worse. The strategic goods export review process determines whether exports of items such as semiconductor equipment, precision machinery, defense industry components, and advanced materials-categories considered highly sensitive internationally-can proceed. This process typically takes more than a day or two and involves document reviews and consultations with relevant ministries before a permit is issued. Delays in this process can directly disrupt overseas delivery schedules, and in some cases, contracts worth hundreds of billions of won may be jeopardized. A representative from an exporting company expressed concern, saying, "If the strategic goods permit is delayed, overseas clients ask if there is a problem in Korea. Companies have no choice but to wait, but in the end, they may be held responsible for delivery delays."

Delays in the filing and processing of unfair trade practice cases are also a sensitive issue. The ministry is the main authority responsible for responding to foreign dumping, subsidies, and intellectual property rights (IP) infringement. The speed of handling such cases is directly tied to the country's ability to respond to international disputes. If the system is not functioning properly, the entire process-from case submission to investigation and notification of closure-must rely on paper documents and fax, significantly undermining procedural transparency and speed. Currently, Korea is simultaneously dealing with trade issues involving automobiles and steel with the United States, and environmental regulations with the European Union. If system delays persist, both business complaint handling and government responses could be adversely affected.

The one fortunate aspect is that national fiscal systems have resumed normal operations. Major public-facing services such as the National Fiscal Information System (dBrain+) and the Integrated Management System for National Treasury Subsidies (eNaraHelp) returned to normal at 4 p.m. on September 28.

Other systems, including Open Fiscal Information, eNara Assets, and the Non-Tax Revenue Portal, have also been restored, ensuring that end-of-month fiscal operations such as treasury receipt and fund transfers proceed without disruption, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. eNaraHelp is also fully supporting various login methods, including financial certificates and one-time passwords (OTP), allowing subsidy disbursement work to continue smoothly.

However, some internal approval and authentication systems, including the ministry's main website, remain inaccessible and are expected to require more time for recovery. A ministry official explained, "As of 9 a.m. on September 29, our main website, English website, children's economic education website, and Lottery Committee website are still inaccessible." Given that it is expected to take considerable time to restore the internal approval system of dBrain, the government has implemented temporary measures to minimize work disruptions by using its own two-factor authentication (ID/PW+OTP) and internal approval systems. The Korea Fiscal Information Service also announced that, starting today, the customer service center's operating hours will be extended by two hours, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., to reduce user inconvenience.

This incident is widely seen as having exposed the vulnerability of the national data network. The core administrative services of major government ministries were effectively concentrated in a single data center, and redundancy and distributed management systems did not function as intended. Despite the government's emphasis on digital transformation and data-driven administration, it has become clear that backup and disaster recovery systems remain inadequate in practice.

The government is currently expediting recovery efforts. While some of the 647 suspended services have been restored, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's operations are still relying on temporary measures. Although business damages have not yet become visible, if recovery is further delayed, the ripple effects of delayed deliveries and administrative slowdowns could become a reality. Voices from industry, politics, and civil society are calling not just for simple restoration, but for a fundamental review and reinforcement of the entire national data network.

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