An alliance of civic advocacy groups for the victims of toxic humidifier sterilizers has launched a boycott campaign against two major sellers of the products. 

Representatives of nearly 190 civic groups and those of the victims held a ceremony in Seoul on Monday calling for a nationwide boycott of products by Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea and Aekyung Industrial. 

Demonstrators said seven other companies involved had agreed on a set of compensation measures for the victims announced late last month, but Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea and Aekyung Industrial abandoned it, stressing the two companies account for over 60 percent of the corporate responsibility regarding the tragedy. 

They argued that no action against what they called “anti-social” companies will lead to similar disasters from happening again and urged the public to join their campaign and console the victims. 

A civilian committee established to mediate settlements between the companies and the victims came up with a proposal last month, calling for the provision of up to 535 million won in compensation for each victim. The two companies reportedly refused to accept it. 

As of last month, a total of seven-thousand-685 people have been registered by the government as victims of the toxic humidifier disinfectants which began to be sold in the nation in 1994. Among them were one-thousand-751 fatalities. The case was made into the film "Air Murder," which was released last week.