In light of the recent global IT crisis sparked by Microsoft, the government has recommended that value-added telecom operators, including Kakao and Naver, diversify their cloud-based key services.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) approved the 2024 guidelines for establishing basic communication disaster management plans during today's Communications Disaster Management Deliberation Committee meeting.
The guidelines stipulate that disaster management duty operators must develop and submit communication disaster management plans to the MSIT and implement them accordingly.
In particular, considering the recent IT crisis, the guidelines recommend that value-added telecom operators verify third-party products such as security software in a simulated test environment before implementation and diversify key services across at least two cloud platforms.
Furthermore, to prevent incidents similar to the Pangyo data center fire, data centers are advised to enhance early detection systems for battery fires. If it is challenging to immediately apply the strengthened disaster management obligations, operators must specify alternatives in their management plans.
The meeting included a special agenda on the 'Global IT System Failure Causes and Damage Status,' discussing measures to prevent similar incidents in South Korea.
Proposed countermeasures include establishing a gradual software deployment system, conducting pre-tests before actual implementation, and building a central management control system.
From this year, major telecom operators like SKT and KT, as well as value-added telecom operators like Kakao and Naver, and data center operators are subject to disaster management obligations.
Starting next year, the obligations will extend to include Coupang as a value-added telecom operator and Kakao and Equinix as data center operators.