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DP, gov't agree to raise disaster recovery budget following data center fire

Published: 05 Nov. 2025, 16:55 Updated: 05 Nov. 2025, 17:42

Government officials and ruling Democratic Party lawmakers hold a meeting at the National Assembly on Nov. 5. [YONHAP]

The government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) agreed Wednesday to increase next year's budget to help with recovery efforts for disasters in the wake of a major fire at a state data center in September.

During their consultations at the National Assembly, the two sides said the additional budget will be used to replace outdated equipment and recover computer systems after a data center fire in the central city of Daejeon on Sept. 26 caused a nationwide outage of the government's online administrative services.

“Around 158.4 billion won [$1.1 million] has been set aside for upgrading old equipment, and the relevant ministries are currently estimating the necessary budget to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” DP Rep. Youn Kun-young told reporters after the meeting, saying the amount will likely be increased after consultations with the government during the National Assembly's budget review.

The two sides also agreed to allocate 1.15 trillion won for local currency vouchers aimed at boosting spending at local businesses, with higher subsidies in regions facing population decline and those outside the greater Seoul area.

They further reaffirmed their commitment to pass the Basic Act on Life and Safety, one of President Lee Jae Myung's key campaign pledges, which emphasizes the individual right to safety and seeks to clarify the responsibilities of the state and corporations in preventing accidents and protecting victims.

Yonhap