Seoul: South Korea's airlines have experienced 13 plane fires caused by electronic device batteries over a four-year period, as reported by government data. This information was highlighted by the Korea Herald on Sunday, drawing attention to air safety issues in the country.

According to Anadolu Agency, data released by South Korea's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry shows that these fires were attributed to various electronic batteries. Nine incidents were caused by power banks, one by a telephone battery, and another by an e-cigarette battery carried by passengers. In two other cases, the cause of the fires remains unidentified.

The data indicates a pattern, with one battery-related fire occurring in 2020, followed by a noticeable increase to six incidents in both 2023 and 2024. Despite the fires lasting between 20 seconds and five minutes, they did not result in major damage to any aircraft.

Nationwide concerns about battery safety on airplanes have been amplified, particularly after an initial investigation into a January 28 fire on an Air Busan plane suggested a power bank might have caused the incident. In response, airlines throughout South Korea have implemented new safety protocols, including prohibiting passengers from storing power banks in overhead bins.