Signs saying that portable power banks are not to be stored in overhead bins are displayed at Jeju International Airport on Feb. 7. (Yonhap)
Signs saying that portable power banks are not to be stored in overhead bins are displayed at Jeju International Airport on Feb. 7. (Yonhap)

Despite the series of fires that have occurred due to portable power banks on airplanes in recent years, the South Korean government has not enforced any binding orders on airlines regarding the safety concerns, government data showed Tuesday.

In the cases of 13 airplane fires that were directly attributed to portable power banks carried onboard by passengers, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued only a "recommendation of improvement," according to ministry data submitted to Rep. Min Hong-chul of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. In eight of the cases, the airline involved was directly addressed to revise their safety measures for such devices.

In the case of a fire that occurred on April 2024 onboard an Asiana Airlines flight, the ministry suggested that the airline announce to the public that any power banks should be held by passengers. The fire started from a portable power bank in the overhead bin and caused minor delays.

Concerns over fire hazards involving portable chargers, power banks and other electronic devices have spread across the country in light of the Jan. 28 fire on an Air Busan aircraft, which is suspected of having been caused by a portable power bank stored in an overhead bin.

No deaths or injuries occurred in the fire, but the plane's fuselage was severely damaged.

Min said the government has failed to come up with an effective countermeasures to prevent fires caused by power banks despite the fires over the past few years. He pointed out that a recent government measure -- which includes having passengers put power banks in plastic bags -- just rehashed a recommendation created back in 2015.

"The ministry already had the solution back in 2015, yet it only resorted to issuing recommendations without effectively enforcing countermeasures," he said.

Min also said that storing power banks inside plastic bags can only prevent fires caused by impact or pressure, and said that the government needs to conduct a study to come up with more effective measures.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com