Interior ministry inspects Coupang facility after Incheon fires

The interior ministry visited the Coupang Daegu Fulfillment Center on Wednesday to inspect fire safety management at large logistics facilities following a series of fires in the Incheon region since July.

Jo Deok-jin, head of the Social Disaster Office at the ministry, led the on-site check to verify existing fire safety measures and identify areas for improvement.

A total of seven organizations joined the inspection, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Fire Agency, local governments, the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation. Private experts in fire protection and architecture also participated to review safety conditions across fire, electricity and gas sectors.

Inspectors focused on high-risk factors such as multi-layer storage structures that hinder initial suppression efforts and the safety management of logistics robots equipped with lithium batteries. The team specifically evaluated whether field operations are complying with the government's comprehensive countermeasures for logistics center fire safety announced previously.

Following the inspection, participants held a meeting to share findings and discuss tasks for improving relevant regulations. Jo emphasized the need for detailed examinations of on-site risks to prevent major accidents at facilities where various goods and equipment are concentrated.

"Large logistics facilities have a high probability of leading to major accidents if a fire occurs because various items and equipment are accumulated," Jo said. "It is important to closely examine risk factors at the site and lead to substantial improvements. We will use this inspection as an opportunity to establish a safety management system that can work in actual fields."