{
  "id": 6096142,
  "title": "Subcontracting to unlicensed firms blamed for last year's data center fire: audit agency",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/subcontracting-to-unlicensed-firms-blamed-for-last-years-data-center-6096142",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T04:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20260907/subcontracting-to-unlicensed-firms-blamed-for-last-years-data-center-fire-audit-agency"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) revealed on Monday that unlicensed firms subcontracted to perform a battery replacement project at the state data center were responsible for a devastating fire that disrupted the government's online administrative services last year. On September 26, the fire at the National Information Resources Service caused significant damage, including the destruction of servers and the disruption of critical online administrative systems, such as government websites and local community center services nationwide. It took 95 days to fully restore these services. The BAI audit revealed that the original contractor for the battery replacement project hired two subcontractors, who subsequently subcontracted the work to the two unlicensed firms. These firms completed the task without implementing necessary safety measures, such as shutting off power to the battery rack. The data center had received an alert from the original contractor about outside personnel being involved in the project, but failed to verify whether the subcontracted firms held appropriate licenses and were registered with the government, according to the audit findings.",
  "summary": "Unlicensed firms were subcontracted to carry out a battery replacement project at the state data center and caused a fire that crippled the government's online administrative services last year, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) said Monday. The fire at the National Information Resources Service broke out on Sept. 26, damaging servers and crippling key online administrative systems, such as…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Subcontracting to unlicensed firms blamed for last year's data center fire: audit agency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/subcontracting-to-unlicensed-firms-blamed-for-last-years-data-center",
        "published": "2026-09-07T03:00:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Subcontracting to unlicensed firms blamed for last year's data center fire: audit agency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/subcontracting-to-unlicensed-firms-blamed-for-last-years-data-center-6094412",
        "published": "2026-09-07T03:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}