Samsung’s financial services have been suspended in the wake of a fire at Samsung SDS data center, which runs the system and stores backup data from Samsung’s financial affiliates.
Samsung SDS said it blocked the server at the data center to prevent data loss.
Samsung Card users appeared to be the biggest victims of the service disruption. Cash advances, online payments and text alerts were all suspended; while debit cards issued by Samsung and affiliated firms will be out of service until further notice.
Some services of Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance were also affected, but most were restored on Monday.
“Debit card services from six firms including the Korean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives and Industrial Bank of Korea have been halted,” a Samsung Card spokesperson said. “Cash advances from six financial organizations including Shinhan Bank and Industrial Bank of Korea have also been suspended.”
The company said it has not detected any leaks in customer information, and that it would provide compensation for all damage.
The Financial Supervisory Service dispatched four information technology inspectors to the affected financial companies on Monday to assess the damage.
“The damage on Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance has been repaired. Samsung Card’s services are also expected to be restored soon,” said a spokesperson for the FSS.
Following the accident, Samsung SDS halted the operation of the data center and transferred all the stored information to its ICT center in Suwon to minimize damage.
Samsung SDS said the fire appears to have broken out when a stovepipe overheated as the company sought an uninterrupted power supply. One employee at an SDS partner firm was injured from the fire.
By Shin Ji-hye (
shinjh@heraldcorp.com)
