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858 tb of government data at risk after south korea fire

858TB of Government Data at Risk | Fire Sparks Outrage Over Data Management

By

Dr. Fiona Zhang

Oct 8, 2025, 11:09 PM

Updated

Oct 9, 2025, 06:47 PM

2 minutes needed to read

Flames engulfing a modern data center building, smoke rising into the sky, highlighting the threat to stored government data.
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A fire at a South Korean data center has potentially destroyed 858 terabytes of government data, prompting public outrage over questionable backup protocols. Critics emphasize that this incident highlights serious flaws in disaster recovery plans.

Catastrophic Oversight Exposed

The blaze erupted in a government facility, leaving many people stunned, especially after learning that backups were stored at the same site. Comments reflect disbelief: "They housed the backup in the same physical location LOL", one user pointed out.

"This is huge fail. Backups? In the same DC. DR? WTF is that?" noted a frustrated observer.

Experts argue that losing thousands of essential records could disrupt vital government functions, raising concerns about data integrity in todayโ€™s digital governance.

Public Outcry Over Planning Failures

Many commenters vented their frustration, noting that such an oversight is unacceptable for a technologically advanced nation.

  • "In 10 years, South Korea will be the poster child for disaster recovery. Horrible planning and negligence" was a widely shared sentiment.

  • Another remarked, "What? I thought it was in the cloud!"

  • Additional comments suggest South Korea's data centers might not be reliable; "So Don't use S Korean data centers?? Got it. Shameful work," one user expressed.

The tone reflects deep disappointment, emphasizing that crucial precautions were ignored.

Vital Practices Skipped

A commenter stressed the importance of standard data management practices, stating: "That's like 1 rack of hard drives and this is why you always do the 3-2-1 backup method." This established procedure involves three backups on two different storage media, with one copy stored offsite, clearly overlooked in this case.

Some users even speculated about the potential for foreign access to the data. "The Chinese might have a copy. They should ask them," a user quipped, raising more concerns about cybersecurity.

The Fallout

As discussions grow, some people see this as a way for the South Korean government to sidestep requests for information. One comment claimed, "Now the South Korean government has a good excuse when people ask for inconvenient government documents. They were unfortunately lost in the data center fire."

This raises a critical question: Is this fire merely a cover for deeper issues?

Key Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ”ฅ 858TB of government data may now be lost for good, exacerbating public distrust.

  • โš ๏ธ "Horrible planning and negligence" - A repeat sentiment among many.

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Observations on data security highlight a potential vulnerability to foreign access.

The situation remains fluid as reactions flood forums, but the core themes of negligence and frustration stand out starkly in light of this disaster.