Housing costs in South Korea last year increased by their fastest pace since 2013,... mainly due to extreme weather. <br /> According to the Bank of Korea on Monday, costs related to housing...such as water and electricity bills as well as rent,... marked close to 131 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. <br />That's an increase of 4-point-3 percent compared to the previous year...and the fastest annual uptick in five years.<br />The central bank attributed the spike to last summer's sweltering heat and the bone-chilling cold in the winter...which prompted households to spend more on energy.<br />In August last year, temperatures in Seoul sizzled at highs not seen in 111 years. <br />
