Korea's consumer price growth hits 13-month high in January

SEJONG, Feb. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices rose 1.5 percent on-year in January, marking the fastest gain in 13 months, the statistics agency said Tuesday.

The country's inflation also rose 0.6 percent on-month in January on the back of increased prices of agricultural and industrial products, Statistics Korea said in a statement.

Core inflation, which excludes agricultural and petroleum products, increased 0.9 percent from a year earlier.

Utility prices were unchanged on-year in January, while prices of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products went up 0.6 percent, the data showed.

Last year, Korea's consumer prices climbed 0.4 percent on-year, marking the slowest growth since 1965.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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