During the state visit to Korea by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in early December 2022, Vietnam and South Korea agreed to upgrade their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Thus, after China, Russia and India, Korea is the fourth country to have comprehensive strategic cooperation with Vietnam, a worthy achievement cultivated by the efforts of many industries and individuals. It is impossible not to mention the elevator industry.

Korea and Vietnam are geographically far apart, with different climate. However, perhaps we have many similarity in culture. Both advantages and disadvantages, which makes it easier for Vietnamese businesses and people to “survive” with Korean businesses than with businesses from other developed countries. This was further confirmed after the trip to gain information, learn management models, and exchange experiences on elevator safety of representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Vietnam Elevator Association in Korea from October 24-28, 2022.

Vietnam delegation visited and worked with the Korea Elevator Safety Agency (KoELSA)

Korean Elevator Safety Agency (KoELSA) is the host to welcome, share and accompany us during this trip.

With nearly 800,000 elevators operating in the country of 50 million people (in Vietnam, according to incomplete statistics, about 400,000 elevators), Korea is considered to have the world’s No. 1 elevator safety management system. All elevators are assigned an Identifier, any elevator user can access the history of each elevator he is using. Inspection, maintenance, repair activities, etc. are all updated online via the technician’s handheld smart device (Ipad) and transmitted to the Information Processing Center at the headquarters of KoELSA – Center with only 10 people.

IoT application helps KoELSA to manage all operating information of elevators in Korea.

Korea has also invested and built elevator industrial clusters – a real ecosystem. As in Geochang city – Central Korea, with a population of about 60,000 people, but there are nearly 100 facilities in the elevator industry network, including elevator manufacturing factories, auxiliary industrial plants, service companies, laboratories, test towers, vocational schools, etc. Also in this city, we have the opportunity to experience, exchange and share all the knowledge related to the elevator industry.

Although it was legalized 30 years ago (Law on Management and Manufacturing of Elevators was issued in 1991 and came into force in 1992), Korean elevator industry has really received special attention since 2016, with the merger of elevator management facilities into the Korean Elevator Safety Agency KoELSA. In 2018, Korea revised the entire Law on Elevator Production and Management into the Law on Elevator Safety Management.

Research shows that, in the past, Korea also had a hot development period like Vietnam, but in the face of safety problems, the Korean government found it necessary to re-establish order for the elevator industry – industry has a direct impact on human health and safety. This can be considered a great effort and a turning point in raising the level of elevator safety in this country.

Up to now, KoELSA is a powerful organization with more than 1,600 employees, has a nationwide representative office with the following tasks: Auditing, certifying elevator safety, community training, public relations, public service activities, elevator accident investigation, research and development, international relations, elevator technical service provision, elevator information system management and customer service. Elevator safety activities have changed significantly, they not only guarantee the final result of elevator safety but also control the design, manufacture, installation and service supply through the process of assessment, testing and certification, etc… which are regulated by the Ordinance.

KoELSA periodically checks safety at Songpareminisce apartment building

All elevator safety activities are centered on the elevator user. There are 05 units responsible for elevator safety in Korea, including: (1) Ministry of Administrative Security (the governing ministry) – Responsible for making policies and ordinances; (2) Local government – ​​Administrative management and business registration for elevator enterprises; (3) Elevator owners – Responsible for the safety of owned elevators; (4) Elevator enterprises – Manufacturing, installing and maintaining the operation of elevators; (5) Korea Elevator Safety Agency (KoELSA) – Professional management of elevator safety. Each subject has clear rights and responsibilities prescribed by the Law.

Individuals working in the elevator industry, ranging from the person responsible for elevator safety (representing the elevator owner), the person working in the elevator, and elevator technician is required to be trained and granted a practicing certificate.

Take a look at a few unique features to know that the Korean elevator industry, although starting from the same starting point as Vietnam (30 years ago), has far surpassed us in terms of scale and technical infrastructure… However, when talking with us, the leader of KoELSA as well as many Korean elevator business owners who have knowledge of the Vietnamese elevator market think that they are only 15 years ahead of us. This means that Vietnam elevator industry now has many similarities with Korea’s 15 years ago.

After the business trip, Department of Occupational Safety of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs also reported to the leaders of the respective ministries and made specific proposals for further cooperation programs to gradually develop Vietnam elevator industry. In particular, VNEA will be one of the focal points to connect and coordinate with the parties to implement this program.

Korean side also sent a delegation, including representatives of the Ministry of Public Security and senior leaders of KoELSA, to visit and work in Vietnam from December 1 to 4, 2022. in Ho Chi Minh City, attended the Vietnam Elevator Expo 2022, shared presentations at the Conference “Development orientation of Vietnam elevator industry in the trend of globalization”.

Also at this event, Vietnam Elevator Association (VNEA) and Korea Elevator Safety Agency (KoELSA) signed a cooperation document in the field of elevator safety and elevator industry development in both Vietnam and Korea. This can be considered as the time to bring Vietnam elevator industry step by step closer to the developed elevator industries in the world.

Leaders of VNEA (right) and KoELSA (left) signed a cooperation agreement

Opportunities always accompany challenges. As the General Secretary of the Vietnam Elevator Association, I had the opportunity to work with many elevator companies, visit manufacturing plants, meet distributors, etc. to read investor ‘s concern about current situation of Vietnam elevator industry. All of them aspire to a healthy elevator industry, developing Vietnam’s elevator industry to its potential. With an expanding market, not only in our country.

And, we deserve it, I think./.