12월 소비자물가 전년비 1.3%…2018 연간 상승률 1.5%<br /><br />Statistics Korea released its data on consumer prices for December.<br />It shows a slowdown from the previous month.<br />For 2018 as a whole, inflation has been lower than the previous year.<br />Kim Hyesung breaks down the digits for us. <br />South Korea's consumer prices rose one-point-three percent on-year in December, the lowest increase in five months.<br />Statistics Korea says agricultural goods prices rose by double digits, but falling global oil prices drove down overall consumer prices, leading to a slowdown from the roughly two percent on-year price gains seen in September, October and November. <br />Petroleum goods prices fell near three percent on-year, showing a negative trend for the first time since November 2016...on lower oil prices and the government's fuel tax cut. <br />Agricultural goods prices in December went up 10-point-seven percent, prices of rice soared by nearly 24%, tomatoes were up 30%. <br />Electricity, water and gas prices rose 1-point-four percent, slowing from the previous month after a cut in gas prices.<br />Core inflation, excluding food and energy prices rose by one-point-one percent in December.<br />For 2018 as a whole, prices rose 1-point-five percent, below the Bank of Korea's target of two percent.<br />It's also lower than 2017's 1-point-9 percent, but higher than 2016's 1 percent gain. <br />Agriculture, meat and seafood prices rose near four percent on-year in 2018, industrial goods rose slightly by 1-point-three percent, but electricity water and gas fell by nearly three percent.<br />Statistics Korea said in 2018, weather conditions like the heat wave in the summer led to agricultural price gains but falling electricity and gas prices slowed down overall inflation.<br />Kim Hyesung, Arirang News.
