The National Coalition of Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster Victims (Victims' Coalition) urged the launch of the 2nd Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters to reestablish the facts of the disaster.
On the morning of the 18th, the Victims' Coalition held a press conference at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "We must investigate how the disaster began, when its harmfulness was first recognized, and what the government and corporations knew but failed to act on," and stated accordingly.
They said, "An apology without punishment of those responsible is hollow, and compensation without uncovering the truth is incomplete," adding, "The humidifier disinfectant disaster was a combination of illegal acts by corporations and dereliction of duty." The point is that the criteria for compensating victims should be made clear and those responsible should be punished.
There were also calls for a meeting with President Lee Jae-myung and for Minister Kim Seong-hwan of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment to pay respects at the funeral.
Chae Min-seo, the daughter-in-law of the late CEO Seo Young-cheol, who died on the 11th, said to the president, "We know who did wrong and what went wrong, and it makes no sense not to reveal it," adding, "Please protect the people."
The Victims' Coalition also urged the Seoul Metropolitan Government to grant permission to set up CEO Seo's memorial altar at Gwanghwamun Square and demanded the creation of a permanent memorial space to honor the victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster.
Earlier, on the 16th, the Victims' Coalition submitted documents to the Seoul Metropolitan Government titled "Request to defer demolition notice and administrative execution for the memorial and protest space for CEO Seo." However, the city did not accept the application, citing a conflict with the local government ordinance on the use and management of Gwanghwamun Square.
After the press conference that day, the Victims' Coalition tried to set up tents at Gwanghwamun Square but confronted Seoul city officials who blocked them.
Starting that day, the Victims' Coalition said it would receive citizens' condolences and incense offerings at the square. A small table with the wheelchair CEO Seo used in life, his portrait, fruit, incense, and other items was also set up at the square.
CEO Seo went to the emergency center at Seoul National University Hospital with a pneumothorax on the 11th but died at age 69. It is said that in life he left a will saying, "If I die, do not hold a funeral; fight at Gwanghwamun Square."
To honor CEO Seo's will, the Victims' Coalition has been staging a sit-in at Gwanghwamun Square since the 14th.