Coupang fire reignites 'mezzanine debate' — but regulators are flying blind

A fire at a Coupang Inc logistics center in Incheon has reignited safety concerns over the mezzanine structure — a multi-tier storage system built with steel frames inside warehouses. The government, it has emerged, cannot determine how many such structures exist, because facilities are under no obligation to report them.

A large number of major domestic logistics centers use mezzanine structures, which divide the interior of high-ceilinged warehouses into multiple levels using steel frames to maximize storage capacity. The system is especially prevalent in the e-commerce and parcel delivery sectors, where cargo volumes are high.

Under the Logistics Facilities Act, operators registered as warehouse businesses must submit details of their facilities and equipment to the relevant local government, with that information fed into the National Logistics Integrated Information Center. Mezzanine structures, however, are not among the mandatory items. Unless an operator voluntarily includes them, the government has no separate way of tracking them.

A review of registrations at the National Logistics Integrated Information Center shows that only a handful of companies — including Coupang Inc, Musinsa, SSG.com and Bangbang Apparel — have explicitly listed mezzanine structures. Industry insiders estimate the actual number of logistics centers using mezzanines is far higher than what is disclosed. That gap is why calls are growing for a comprehensive survey and reliable statistics before any fire safety measures can be properly designed.

Mezzanine structures are also widely found in government-certified smart logistics centers. Major logistics firms including Lotte Global Logistics, CJ Logistics and Hanjin use them in their large hub terminals, as do the logistics facilities of some retail companies. Leading overseas operators such as Amazon and UPS employ them as well.

That breadth of use has prompted pushback against treating the structure itself as the problem. "Just as you cannot eliminate car accidents on a highway, you cannot reduce warehouse fires to zero," said Seo Yong-gu, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University's School of Business. "The solution is to strengthen realistic safety measures within the mezzanine structure."

Experts have also called for the regulatory focus to shift toward tightening fire safety standards — covering fire compartmentalization, sprinkler systems and smoke-exhaust equipment — rather than restricting mezzanine structures outright. Many countries manage mezzanines not by banning them but by raising the safety requirements that govern their use.

"Mezzanines improve space efficiency and logistics productivity, so simply eliminating the structure is not a realistic solution," one industry official said. "What this Coupang fire should prompt us to do first is get an accurate picture of how mezzanine structures are being used and how well they are being managed for safety."