Remote elevator calls at LH rental housing to prevent electric scooters from falling

[Financial News] Older adults and people with disabilities living in Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) rental housing will be able to call an elevator using a remote control while riding an electric scooter, from 2 to 3 meters away.
According to LH on the 28th, the “remote elevator call technology” being introduced was developed by the Korea Elevator Safety Agency. A receiver is attached to the elevator landing call button, and the elevator is summoned when a resident sends a signal using a handheld remote control. LH expects the technology to eliminate the risk of scooter users colliding with the landing doors by allowing them to call an elevator without approaching the doors, while also making elevators more convenient for people with mobility needs.
The first site to adopt the technology is Goyang Wonheung Village Complex 12 in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province. The complex consists of eight buildings and 1,372 households in national rental housing. It has already introduced safety measures, including installing seats for people with mobility needs inside elevators and strengthening standards to prevent elevator landing doors from becoming dislodged. LH plans to build on these measures by adding the remote call technology to enhance the effectiveness of elevator safety and convenience features for people with mobility needs. During the pilot period, LH will assess the technology’s performance and ease of use, identify areas for improvement through resident satisfaction surveys, and then roll it out in stages to rental housing nationwide starting in 2027.
Until now, residents who use electric scooters had to approach the elevator landing doors to call an elevator. Concerns were repeatedly raised that if a scooter struck a door, it could push the door inward and fall into the elevator shaft. Under the current Elevator Safety Management Act, the standard for preventing elevator landing doors from becoming dislodged is 450 J (joules), but an electric scooter can generate an impact of around 1,000 J when it collides with a door. Since 2025, LH has independently raised the standard for preventing first-floor elevator landing doors from becoming dislodged to 1,000 J and has also provided residents with safety education. However, these measures had limitations in eliminating the risk of collisions while users pressed the call button.
Yu Byeong-yong, head of LH’s Housing Welfare Headquarters, said, “The introduction of this remote call technology is a measure to fundamentally prevent safety accidents that residents with mobility needs may experience while using elevators,” and added, “We will continue to carefully consider residents’ diverse living conditions and create a residential environment where everyone can live with peace of mind.”

[email protected] Jeong Gyeong-su Reporter