South Korea’s consumer price inflation inched higher in June 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 3.2% year-over-year, according to data updated on 1 July 2026. This marks a slight acceleration from May 2026, when annual inflation stood at 3.1% on the same year-over-year comparison basis.
The data indicate a modest re-strengthening of price pressures, as the June figure compares the change in prices to June a year earlier, while the May reading reflected the change versus May a year earlier. The uptick suggests that disinflationary momentum may have stalled, with inflation holding above the 3% mark rather than continuing to ease.
For policymakers and markets, the move from 3.1% to 3.2% will be closely watched as they assess the durability of inflation pressures and potential implications for monetary policy and financial conditions in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
