Consumer prices in Korea climbed one-point-four percent last month,... mainly due to a cold snap which prompted agricultural and fisheries prices to soar,... as well as price increases in lodging.
Kim Ji-yeon reports.
Consumer price increases in Korea were in the one-percent range for the fifth straight month in February.
Statistics Korea says its consumer price index jumped one-point-four percent in February compared to the same period last year... a faster rate of increase than the one-percent on-year gain recorded in January.
The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and oil prices, was up one-point-two percent on-year.
Prices of food, drinks and accommodation increased, while communication prices dropped.
In particular, prices of agricultural and fisheries products spiked due to a cold snap last month... climbing a whopping three-and-a-half percent on-year... the biggest rate of increase in five months.
Price rises in the services sector also pushed up consumer prices in February... climbing one-point-seven percent compared to the same period last year, particularly those related to food and lodging.
The consumer price index has been hovering near the government's target range of two-percent between February and September last year... mainly due to higher petroleum prices and the low base effect due to a nationwide discount on electricity bills the previous year.
But it fell into the one-percent range since October last year... as prices of vegetables stabilized before soaring last month.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.