The recent fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon has exposed deep-seated issues in our society: a chronic lack of safety awareness and a flawed fire safety inspection system. 

For the past three years, the logistics center’s sprinkler and automatic fire detection systems were repeatedly flagged as defective during regular inspections. While the center claimed to have performed repairs each time they were cited, the problems persisted. It can be inferred from this that when the fire broke out, the firefighting equipment, which should have been interlocked with the fire alarm system, failed to perform its intended role. 

Although Coupang argues that it bears no legal liability because it underwent the legally required inspections twice a year and addressed the cited issues, we must look at the essence of the problem. Instead of debating liability after an accident, we should be asking a fundamental question: Is the current regular inspection system effectively fulfilling its purpose of protecting the lives and property of the public from large-scale fires?

1. Is the formal fire inspection merely a "check-the-box" exercise to avoid penalties? 

The current fire safety inspection system has evolved from the government-led "fire inspection" model of the past to a "self-inspection" system introduced in 1990, which emphasizes private, autonomous safety management. 

Since the introduction of self-inspections, it is true that the external safety net has expanded through precise inspections by qualified professionals and the mandatory self-inspections by stakeholders. However, the current system, which has been in place for nearly half a century, still harbors fatal structural flaws. 

Relying on inspections conducted only once or twice a year is insufficient to catch, in real-time, the constant malfunctions or disconnections that occur in fire equipment composed of countless electronic and mechanical components. 

There is a deeply entrenched practice of viewing fire equipment as merely a formal requirement or cost for obtaining building permits, and treating fire inspections as a mere formality to avoid legal penalties. While systems exist to provide immediate alerts if there is a functional issue in both wired and wireless equipment, wired systems are significantly harder to replace entirely compared to wireless ones. 

2. The Eunma Apartment fire: A warning about the blind spots in old residential housing

A fire that occurred last February at the Eunma Apartment complex in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, resulted in the tragic death of a high school student who dreamed of becoming a doctor. This incident was a man-made disaster that fully exposed the structural vulnerabilities in fire safety management for aging apartment complexes and the dangers of unlicensed construction work.

The most fatal factor was the "failure of the detectors to operate." The fixed-temperature detectors installed on the kitchen ceiling had their physical operation completely blocked due to the melting and disconnection of the circuit insulation. As a result, no alarm sounded for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes after the fire started, causing the occupants to completely miss the golden time for initial evacuation. 

This failure of the detectors stemmed from poor management during the remodeling process within the unit. The interior construction plan omitted the electrical work, so the management office was completely unaware of the wiring alterations, and there was no verification process after the work was completed. 

In particular, shoddy construction practices were rampant, such as unlicensed workers arbitrarily connecting wires with tape, and those involved were booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in death or injury. This serves as a warning that if unauthorized interior modifications and management blind spots are left unchecked, even the most high-performance fire equipment becomes useless.

3. Establishing an automatic inspection and real-time fault notification system for fire equipment

Who would knowingly leave a broken fire detector in their home for a year? In large-scale buildings and residential facilities, the risks are dozens or hundreds of times greater. 

The solution to this problem is self-evident. Just as modern cars alert drivers with warning lights on the dashboard the moment a minor issue arises in the engine or components so that they can take action, we must develop AI-based predictive, proactive, and alert systems for fire safety. We must move toward a system where mechanical devices perform automatic, continuous inspections without the need for human intervention. 

Superior automatic inspection products and technologies that can identify equipment faults in real-time and alert managers immediately are already commercialized. We must transform fire equipment from a simple "emergency device" into a "living, breathing safety net." 

The introduction of new systems will inevitably face barriers, such as initial installation costs and conflicts of interest. It is time for the Korea Fire Agency to take an active lead in refining relevant laws to mandate the establishment of permanent automatic inspection and real-time fault notification systems. We must re-examine the safety management system within individual units of aging apartment complexes from the ground up, and implement powerful institutional measures, such as making it mandatory to report electrical and fire safety work during unit renovations. 

For companies and building owners hesitant due to the burden of initial costs, we must provide active incentives, such as tax benefits and installation subsidies. Automatic fire detection equipment is not an expense, but the most certain investment in protecting lives. It is time to move beyond the boundaries of outdated, periodic inspection practices and build a truly advanced nation in fire safety by trusting in technology and refining our systems.

Cho Young-jin, CEO of Roze AI