The tug-of-war between the government and the elevator subcontracting industry over the proposed amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Elevator Facilities Safety Management Act (hereinafter referred to as the Elevator Safety Act) regarding subcontracting has continued day after day with no end in sight.

The Korea Elevator Maintenance Association (hereinafter referred to as the KEMA) is determined to stick to its original stance against the government, even though it is not easy to improve and correct the revision of a subordinate law that is not even a law, as the livelihood of its members is directly involved.

The Conservative Association, which started a rally against the proposed amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Elevator Act on May 29 in front of the Gwanghwamun Government Building in Seoul, has been fighting a long battle with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the ministry in charge of elevators, under the hot summer sun for two months now.

Last month, more than 640 members of the repair and subcontracting industry from Seoul, the Seoul metropolitan area, and the provinces rallied on the 17th and held a large-scale protest rally with banners that read, "Respect the opinions of the Elevator Repair Association," "Withdraw the revision of the Elevator Act," and "Strengthening the Elevator Act NO! User convenience YES! A total of eight protest rallies are planned for this month as well, given that it is the National Assembly's questioning period for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

"It makes no sense to set the subcontracting ratio at 50/100, excluding self-inspection work from maintenance subcontracting," said Jeon Bok-jin, director of the Conservation Association. "Currently, there are many sites where self-inspection work is being carried out by subcontractors, and if this is banned, large companies will order even lower prices, and it is obvious that subcontractors will go bankrupt or overcompete."

"Who wouldn't want to interfere with their livelihood, and that's why we, the conservative subcontracting industry, stood up," he said.  "The government shouldn't insist on a 50/100 ratio," said a subcontractor, emphasizing that "the ratio of subcontracting shouldn't and can't be set."

However, related organizations such as the Korea Elevator Industry Cooperative, the Korea Elevator Maintenance Industry Cooperative, and the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises and Businesses generally welcome the ban on subcontracting maintenance to subcontractors of elevator giants. They propose banning subcontracting for the mandatory monthly elevator self-inspection and allowing subcontracting for limited tasks such as dispatch, emergency repair, and parts repair. 

In response, Jeon Bok-jin, director of the Conservation Association, said, "Despite the fact that the issue of subcontracting is an issue in the elevator industry, related organizations are opposing subcontracting for their own interests and claiming its validity," adding, "The Conservation Association is struggling with the fight alone."

Meanwhile, after failing to reach a consensus with the industry on the percentage range of remunerative subcontracting, the ministry commissioned a study by a group of expert professors to prepare and announce the proposed subcontracting percentage range, but it was rebuked by the remunerative subcontracting industry at a public hearing held in early June.  "It ignores the reality that the prime contractor is responsible for self-inspection and only other tasks can be subcontracted," said a representative of the conservative subcontracting industry.