South Korea’s consumer price growth accelerated in May 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 3.1% year-over-year, up from 2.6% in April 2026. The latest figure, updated on 1 June 2026, marks a noticeable pickup in inflationary pressure compared with the previous month.
Both readings are based on year-over-year comparisons, measuring price changes against the same month a year earlier. The April indicator reflected a 2.6% increase versus April of the previous year, while May’s 3.1% print compares prices in May 2026 to those in May 2025. The step-up suggests that price momentum is strengthening, a development likely to draw close attention from policymakers and financial markets monitoring the trajectory of inflation in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
