On December 12, the special investigation committee for the Itaewon disaster held a hearing where emotional testimonies from survivors brought the room to tears. One such survivor, Min Seong-ho, recounted the harrowing moments during the disaster, emphasizing that the crush was not due to intentional actions but a combined weight of the people. He criticized the delayed police response, claiming that had they arrived even 10 minutes earlier, many lives could have been saved.

During his testimony, Min shared that moments before he called his mother, he felt he might not survive the ordeal. He recalled making the call and saying, 'Mom, I’m dying', expressing the desperate fear many felt that night. As he spoke, family members of the victims, present in the hearing, were visibly moved, highlighting the emotional impact of the tragedy on the community.

The hearing also included discussions of police accountability, with officials from various stations shifting blame regarding the failure to respond to 11 emergency calls made on the night of the disaster. The testimony revealed a concerning lack of accountability and communication within the police force, raising questions about organizational failures that contributed to the severity of the incident, and that have fueled public outcry for justice and changes in emergency response protocols.