This study focuses on the trends and issues of improving safety management of elevators in Korea. Frequency and severity of accidents in relation to conditional pass in periodic inspection, maintenance, market surveillance are analyzed based on the statistical data and social cost due to a variety of related fields in managing elevator safety was estimated first. The results of statistical analysis performed in this study will provide logical basis and future direction for improving the safety management system. The role of certification and supervision is particularly addressed to reduce the related accidents and the social cost. The effectiveness of such procedures can be found from the results of simple statistical analysis.