Korean push-pull digital lock base (mortise)
The design language that dominated Asian smart locks for a decade: a tall push-pull handle set replacing an entire mortise lock set. It is a full-replacement architecture, so the retrofit problem is not adapters — it is the lock case matrix.
Also called: Push-pull lock · Digital door lock · Korean mortise
Anatomy
- Tall push-pull handle units inside and outside
- Mortise case with latch and one or two deadbolts
- Battery compartment inside the inner unit
- Often a separate remote or keypad
Parameters to measure
Measure in this order: Backset (Dornmaß) → Centre distance, spindle-to-cylinder (Entfernung / PZ) → Faceplate width × length → Fixing hole pattern / pitch → Door thickness
| Parameter | Typical values | Tolerance that still fits | How to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backset (Dornmaß) | 60 mm and 70 mm are the two that matter | Match exactly | Door edge to the case centre line. |
| Centre distance, spindle-to-cylinder (Entfernung / PZ) | 85 mm common; 72 and 92 mm occur | None | Spindle centre to cylinder centre. |
| Faceplate width × length | Case faceplate 24 mm wide, 240–300 mm long | — | Measure the strip on the door edge. |
| Fixing hole pattern / pitch | Handle screw pitch 38–70 mm depending on set | — | Screw hole to screw hole on the handle. |
| Door thickness | 38–50 mm | — | At the lock. |
Retrofit architectures that work
- Full lock replacement on the same footprint — The old lock case is removed and a smart lock with the same footprint takes its place. This is the dominant approach in East and Southeast Asia, where push-pull digital locks replace mortise sets on HDB, condo and apartment doors.
- Motor replacing the interior handle — The interior lever or knob is replaced by a motor unit that drives the 8 mm spindle directly. The outside keeps the original key cylinder and handle. This is the cleanest fit for mortise locks where the bolt is thrown by the key and the handle only retracts the latch.
Because the handle is replaced wholesale, the interface that needs engineering is the lock case matrix and the strike alignment, not a clamp. Publish the exact envelope you replace and ship a cardboard template.
Related standards
Reference devices
Recorded as engineering examples, not endorsements.
- Push-pull digital lock sets (Asian market category) — Full lock replacement on the same footprint ⚠ needs review
Questions
Why are Asian smart locks rarely 'retrofit'?
Because the market standardised on replacing the whole lock set at installation time, so nobody needed a clamp-over adapter. Retrofit clamps are a European answer to a European lock.
What fails first on these sets?
The motor gearbox and the battery contacts, followed by the keypad membrane in humid climates.