South Korea's consumer price inflation rose 2.3 percent in December, extending the streak of 2-percent-range increases to four consecutive months, as surging prices of rice and apples combined with higher fuel costs driven by a weaker won to keep household budgets under pressure.
For the full year 2025, annual inflation came in at 2.1 percent, easing from 2.3 percent in the previous year, according to data released by the National Data Office on Friday.
The consumer price index stood at 117.57 (2020=100) in December, up 2.3 percent from a year earlier. The reading followed increases of 2.4 percent in both October and November, showing persistent price pressures through year-end.
Food and energy were the main drivers of December's inflation. Agricultural, livestock and fishery products rose 4.1 percent year-on-year. Farm products, a key gauge of grocery prices, climbed 2.9 percent, with rice — a staple food — surging 18.2 percent and apples jumping 19.6 percent. Tangerines rose 15.1 percent and mackerel gained 11.1 percent.
In contrast, vegetable prices fell 5.1 percent from a year earlier due to increased production, with radishes down 30.0 percent, tomatoes falling 20.6 percent and carrots plunging 48.6 percent.
Industrial product prices rose 2.2 percent year-on-year. Petroleum products climbed 6.1 percent amid international oil price volatility, with diesel up 10.8 percent and gasoline rising 5.7 percent. Among processed foods, coffee increased 7.8 percent and bread rose 3.3 percent. Electricity, gas and water edged up 0.4 percent, partly due to a 3.9 percent increase in water utility charges.
Service prices rose 2.3 percent year-on-year. Housing costs gained 0.9 percent as both monthly rent (1.1 percent) and jeonse (lump-sum deposit lease, 0.7 percent) increased. Insurance service fees surged 16.3 percent in personal services, while apartment management fees rose 3.2 percent and dining-out costs climbed 2.9 percent. Public service prices rose only 1.4 percent, held down by a 26.6 percent drop in kindergarten fees.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 2.0 percent in December, showing a stable trend. The index excluding agricultural products and petroleum gained 2.3 percent.
For the full year 2025, consumer prices rose 2.1 percent, with agricultural, livestock and fishery products up 2.4 percent, industrial products gaining 1.9 percent and services rising 2.2 percent. The fresh food index fell 0.6 percent for the year, stabilizing after a 9.8 percent surge in 2024.
"Processed food prices saw larger increases in the first half of this year due to higher factory prices, and petroleum prices turned upward partly due to the rising exchange rate," a National Data Office official said.