Daejeon: President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday issued a public apology following a fire at the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon that severely disrupted government online services and networks. The incident, which stemmed from a lithium-ion battery explosion, has had widespread effects on various sectors, including financial services, goods delivery, and transportation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during an emergency meeting, President Lee expressed regret for the inconvenience and anxiety experienced by the public due to the fire. He emphasized the need for continuous efforts to restore key public systems swiftly and ensure that citizens can access essential services without further disruption.

President Lee also criticized the absence of an emergency restoration mechanism, highlighting that major network infrastructure remained offline days after the incident. He pointed out that the lack of preventative measures for such foreseeable incidents was unacceptable, stressing the necessity for a robust response system.

To prevent similar occurrences in the future, Lee instructed officials to enhance the security and safety protocols of the government network. He advocated for the development of mid- and long-term strategies, including the creation of a "double-layer operating system" for state computer networks. He remarked on the critical importance of a dual-operation system to ensure immediate responses to external damages.

In response to the incident, the government shut down 647 online systems, with 96 directly impacted by the fire. Efforts to resume the operation of 551 unaffected computer systems are underway, as the government reviews their functionality to ensure a return to normalcy.