Ministry of Interior and Safety links safety week with expo; about 80 firms to showcase new technology, meet overseas buyers
The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Wednesday that it is co-hosting the 2026 Elevator Safety Week and the 2026 Korea International Elevator Expo to mark Elevator Safety Day.
Elevator Safety Week, now in its ninth year, has brought together the public and private sectors to promote elevator safety culture since 2018. The Korea International Elevator Expo, first held in 2010, is staging its eighth edition this year.
A ceremony marking Elevator Safety Day will be held Wednesday at Hall 1 of Kintex in Ilsan, Goyang, followed by the opening of the Korea International Elevator Expo.
About 200 people from government, public agencies, industry associations, academia and civic groups will attend the ceremony. The Ministry of Interior and Safety will present ministerial commendations to 19 individuals recognized for contributions to elevator safety and two winners of a safety contest. A 3D hologram performance on the theme of spreading and practicing a safety culture will also be staged.
Through Friday, Elevator Safety Week will feature a nationwide public safety campaign at major train stations and a conference on elevator safety policy, standardization and new technology at Kintex.
Safety guidelines for elevator users will be promoted at 11 airports, railway stations and subway stations across the country that have recorded elevator accidents or handle high passenger volumes, with public participation events including a safety pledge rally.
The conference, held on the second floor of Kintex Hall 1, will cover 15 topics — among them an international seminar by the Pacific and Asian Lift and Escalator Association, the use of public elevator data, and an AI elevator safety-fence project.
The 2026 Korea International Elevator Expo, which opens Wednesday under the theme "Into the future with AI — K-elevators going global," will bring together about 80 domestic and international companies to present new technologies and products.
An exhibition space of about 3,600 square meters will be set up in Hall 5 on the first floor of Kintex Hall 1, featuring Hyundai Elevator, Otis Elevator and TK Elevator, among others. Regional joint pavilions representing North Chungcheong Province and Geochang-gun, as well as booths for the Korea Elevator Safety Agency and the Korea Elevator Association, will also be on site, along with an elevator safety experience bus.
Additional programs include one-on-one consultations between overseas buyers and participating companies, briefings and consultations for managers of aging elevators on replacement options, a job fair with on-site interviews at an employment pavilion, corporate seminars, the Korea Society of Elevator Engineers' autumn academic conference, and guided exhibition tours with a stamp-collecting activity.
Further details are available on the Elevator Safety Week website and the Korea International Elevator Expo website.
Kim Gwang-yong, head of the ministry's Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, said elevator safety is the foundation of industry growth, and that technological innovation in the industry in turn leads to safer elevators. "By linking Safety Week with the expo, we will work to raise public awareness of elevator safety and actively support Korean elevator companies in expanding into global markets," Kim said.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
