FX.co ★ South Korea Import Prices Rise for Fifth Month

In March 2025, South Korea experienced a 3.4% rise in import prices compared to the same month last year. This increase, although slightly lower than the revised 4.3% rise witnessed in February, marks the fifth consecutive month of escalating import costs. The primary factor behind this trend is the depreciation of the Korean won. Specifically, consumer goods saw a price hike of 5.8%, a rise from the previous month's 4.5%. Intermediate goods prices increased by 6.1% from 5.9%, and capital goods witnessed a surge to 6.9% compared to 5.2% earlier. However, raw material prices saw a decline of 2.5%, contrasting with the 1.8% increase recorded in the previous month. On a month-to-month comparison, March presented a 0.4% decrease in import prices, following a revised 1% drop in February.