{
  "id": 11310285,
  "title": "(LEAD) Consumer prices up 2.9 pct in Sept., fall to 2 pct levels",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/lead-consumer-prices-up-2-9-pct-in-sept-fall-to-2-pct-levels",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-01T23:19:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261002001051320"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea's consumer prices climbed 2.9% in September year-on-year, data revealed on Friday, falling to a 2% level, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. Energy costs remained high, while agricultural goods saw a price drop. In July, consumer prices grew by 2.8%, followed by a 3.1% increase in August. The latest report came as elevated petroleum prices persisted due to ongoing Middle East geopolitical tensions, surging by 14.8% in September. Diesel prices jumped 20%, and gasoline prices soared 11.8%.\n\nThe government claimed the fuel price cap, currently in place, had limited the overall rise in consumer prices by 0.6 percentage points. Industrial product prices increased 4.2% from a year earlier in September. Agricultural, livestock, and fishery product prices, however, fell 0.3%, mainly due to lower prices for napa cabbage and apples, which decreased by 9.2% and 15.2%, respectively. Beef and pumpkin prices rose by 6.6% and 46.9%, respectively.\n\nAgricultural product prices faced upward pressure in September, due to the Chuseok holiday occurring in October the previous year. However, prices fell on-year for two consecutive months because of the government's discount programs and supply expansion, reported the finance ministry. On-year price decreases for agricultural, livestock, and fishery products amounted to 2.6% in August. Service sector prices rose 2.7%, driven by higher insurance premiums and overseas package tour costs, which climbed 13.4% and 19.3%, respectively. Electricity, gas, and water prices increased 0.4% over the period. Core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy prices, also rose 2.8% year-on-year in September.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices rose 2.9 percent in Sept...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(URGENT) Consumer prices up 2.9 pct in Sept., fall to 2 pct levels",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/urgent-consumer-prices-up-2-9-pct-in-sept-fall-to-2-pct-levels",
        "published": "2026-10-01T23:00:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}