Ministry of the Interior and Safety in Deep Mourning as Official Takes Own Life Amidst Network Recovery Efforts

"It is heartbreaking that something that should never have happened, occurred"... Yoon Ho-jung prepares for an emergency trip to Sejong

National computing network down due to data center fire, recovery rate in the 10% range (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Seo Dae-yeon = As the government works to restore administrative services paralyzed by the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) on the 26th, a notice regarding the partial suspension of administrative information systems is posted at a community service center in Seoul on the 1st.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters the previous day, as of 2:00 PM on the 30th, 91 out of 647 affected systems (14.1%) had returned to normal. For Tier 1 critical tasks, 20 out of 38 (52.6%) have been restored. 2025.10.1 dwise@yna.co.kr

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) is in a state of profound sorrow after an official responsible for the recovery of the national computing network took their own life.

With recovery efforts for the national network, which was halted by the fire at the National Information Resources Service, failing to make significant progress, the loss of a staff member has cast a heavy gloom over the entire organization.

A MOIS official expressed their distress in a phone call with Yonhap News on the 3rd, saying, "It is a difficult situation, and it is heartbreaking that something that should never have happened, occurred."

Following the news of the official's death, the ministry expressed its condolences through a press statement, stating, "We pray for the repose of the deceased," and adding, "The Minister and all employees of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will do their utmost to handle this incident."

According to the ministry, the official, surnamed A, who worked in the Digital Government Innovation Office, was found in a state of cardiac arrest on the ground near the central building of the Sejong Government Complex at approximately 10:50 AM that day.

It is presumed that the official took their own life, given that their mobile phone was found in the smoking area on the southern terrace of the 15th floor of the complex's central building.

The official was transported to a hospital in a state of cardiac arrest but was later pronounced dead.

Minister Yoon Ho-jung bows his head (Sejong=Yonhap News) Reporter Bae Jae-man = Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung bows his head in apology during the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting regarding the administrative information system fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS), held at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Sejong Government Complex on the 29th. 2025.9.29 scoop@yna.co.kr

It was reported that the official had been overseeing the task force team related to the national computing network outage following the fire.

The ministry plans to set up a memorial altar for the deceased at a funeral home in Sejong.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung reportedly received the news of the official's death and is preparing to travel to Sejong.

Following the incident, the ministry canceled the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters briefing that had been scheduled for that afternoon.

The ministry stated that the police are currently investigating the incident and that they will provide further updates as detailed results become available. Yonhap News