The Ministry of Science and ICT approved the 2026 basic telecom disaster management plan. It said it held the second review committee on telecom disaster management on Dec. 3. It reviewed the results of the 2025 plan and approved the draft plan for 2026.

The ministry said improper items in data centre inspections fell to 8 this year from 35 last year. Government and electricity and fire experts reviewed alternative measures submitted by operators and deemed them appropriate. The inspection covered 164 items, including lithium battery fire preparedness and power supply measures.

Inspections of value-added service providers covered 48 items, including dispersal, redundancy, backup systems and pre-verification of service updates. Five corrective orders and 15 recommendations were issued last year. Thirteen recommendations are set to be carried out this year. The ministry said amended law applies strengthened disaster management standards to data centres and value-added service providers exceeding legal thresholds from 2024.

The 2026 plan strengthens safety management for telecom networks, value-added services and data centres. In telecom services, it raises the number of digital units used to classify critical telecom facilities to reflect the increase in base station equipment. It also introduces a new criterion based on the number of radio units directly connected to user devices.

It adds a height standard for flood barriers and requires installation of drainage systems to prevent flooding in underground telecom facilities. In value-added services, data centres and cloud firms operating equipment for service providers must relay incidents immediately to the service providers.

In data centres, the plan strengthens fire preparedness by requiring installation of battery management systems, early fire detection equipment, separated lithium battery compartments and safe distancing. Facilities unable to modify their physical structures must submit alternative action plans to the government.

Choi Woo-hyuk, director general for network policy at the ministry, said digital infrastructure is core to society and the economy, and digital disasters can directly affect public safety and the national economy. He said the ministry will work to ensure the disaster management system takes hold quickly in the field.