Overview
- The Ministry of Data and Statistics reported that June consumer prices rose 3.2% year‑on‑year, the largest increase since December 2023.
- Fuel was the main driver, with gasoline up 23.1% and diesel up 33.7%, and overall fuel prices rising about 24.7% from a year earlier.
- The CPI increased 0.1% from May and marked two consecutive months above 3%, a result that matched market forecasts.
- Officials have rolled out consumer relief steps such as retail discount events and extra egg imports and said they will step up inspections to help stabilise prices.
- South Korea’s heavy reliance on imported energy makes domestic inflation highly sensitive to global oil shocks, a dynamic that could influence central bank rate expectations.