The consumer price index (CPI) in October 2025 rose by 2.4% year-on-year (2.1% in September), driven by a wider increase in prices of certain agricultural products and petroleum due to base effects
from the previous year, as well as higher costs for personal services such as lodging and travel during the extended Chuseok holiday.
Core inflation, which reflects the underlying trend by excluding volatile food and energy prices, increased by 2.2% year-on-year (2.0% in September). The CPI for living necessities, which tracks items with a high share of household spending, climbed by 2.5% year-on-year (2.5% in September).
Consumer Price Index
|
(%) |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
|
y-o-y |
1.3 |
1.5 |
1.9 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
1.9 |
2.2 |
2.1 |
1.7 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
|
m-o-m |
0.0 |
-0.3 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
-0.1 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
Core Inflation
|
(y-o-y, %) |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
|
CPI excluding food and energy prices |
1.8 |
1.9 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.3 |
2.0 |
2.2 |
|
CPI excluding agricultural product and petroleum prices |
1.7 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
1.9 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
CPI for living necessities
|
(y-o-y, %) |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
|
CPI for living necessities |
1.2 |
1.6 |
2.2 |
2.5 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
1.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
Given lingering uncertainties such as weather conditions, the government will remain vigilant and make all-out efforts to stabilize consumer prices. In particular, it will continuously monitor prices as well as demand and supply conditions of key consumer goods closely linked to people’s daily lives, such as food products, and swiftly devise response measures when necessary.
Please refer to the attached files.
