SEJONG/SEOUL- A Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) official, who was on the team managing the aftermath of a massive national computer network failure, died by suspected suicide at the Sejong Government Complex on Friday. The tragic event comes just days after the network failure sparked nationwide administrative chaos.
The official, identified only as 'A' and part of the Digital Government Innovation Office at MOIS, was found on the ground near the Central Building of the Sejong government complex around 10:50 a.m. local time. Emergency responders arrived to find the official in a state of cardiac arrest, and the death was later confirmed.
Authorities suspect the official died after falling from a smoking terrace on the 15th floor of the building, leaving a cell phone behind.
Linked to National Data Center Fire
The death occurs in the wake of a major fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) data center in Daejeon on September 26. The blaze, which reportedly originated in a server room involving 384 lithium-ion batteries, caused a major outage, paralyzing 647 government computer systems and disrupting essential public services like postal banking, mobile ID, and various online civil petitions.
The deceased official was responsible for recovery operations following the unprecedented national digital crisis.
Not Under Criminal Investigation
Despite the mounting pressure and a high-profile criminal investigation into the NIRS fire, police authorities have stated the official was not a suspect or person of interest in the ongoing probe.
The Daejeon Police Agency's dedicated investigative team has already booked four individuals—one NIRS official, two from the battery relocation construction company, and one from the supervision company—on charges of professional negligence resulting in a fire. A police source confirmed to Yonhap News that the deceased MOIS official was unrelated to the active investigation.
Ministry Expresses Condolences
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety expressed deep sorrow over the loss. In an official statement, the ministry offered its condolences, stating, "We offer our deepest regrets and pray for the repose of the deceased." The ministry also promised to do its utmost to manage the aftermath of the tragedy.
The government continues to grapple with restoring the paralyzed systems, with the incident highlighting significant vulnerabilities in the nation's core digital infrastructure.
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