Inflation, consumer prices in South Korea
South Korea: Inflation, consumer prices was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Inflation, consumer prices in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 2.1% for inflation, consumer prices in 2025.
That represents a change of down 8.6% on the previous year and up 200.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, inflation, consumer prices in South Korea peaked at 29.5% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2019.
South Korea ranks 129th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Inflation, consumer prices in South Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.0% | — |
| 1961 | 8.2% | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 6.6% | -19.2% |
| 1963 | 20.7% | +212.6% |
| 1964 | 29.5% | +42.4% |
| 1965 | 13.5% | -54.0% |
| 1966 | 11.3% | -16.9% |
| 1967 | 10.9% | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 10.8% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 12.4% | +15.0% |
| 1970 | 16.0% | +28.7% |
| 1971 | 13.5% | -15.3% |
| 1972 | 11.7% | -13.5% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | -72.4% |
| 1974 | 24.3% | +654.5% |
| 1975 | 25.2% | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 15.3% | -39.3% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | -34.1% |
| 1978 | 14.5% | +43.2% |
| 1979 | 18.3% | +26.7% |
| 1980 | 28.7% | +56.6% |
| 1981 | 21.4% | -25.6% |
| 1982 | 7.2% | -66.3% |
| 1983 | 3.4% | -52.4% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | -33.5% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +11.8% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +10.9% |
| 1988 | 7.1% | +134.3% |
| 1989 | 5.7% | -20.2% |
| 1990 | 8.6% | +50.4% |
| 1991 | 9.3% | +8.9% |
| 1992 | 6.2% | -33.4% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | -22.7% |
| 1994 | 6.3% | +30.5% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | -28.5% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 4.4% | -9.9% |
| 1998 | 7.5% | +69.3% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -89.2% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +177.9% |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +80.0% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -32.1% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | +27.2% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -23.3% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -18.6% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 4.7% | +84.4% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -41.0% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 4.0% | +37.0% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -45.7% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | -40.5% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | -44.6% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +37.6% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | +100.1% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -24.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -74.0% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | +40.3% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | +365.0% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | +103.7% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -29.3% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | -35.5% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -8.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.3%, 91% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.1%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Inflation, consumer prices in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +654.5% | 3.2% | 24.3% |
| 2021 | +365.0% | 0.5% | 2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.2% | 6.6% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.2% | 3.2% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.4% | 2.3% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.7% | 0.8% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 0.4% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7% | 0.5% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 797.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0084 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 305.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2332 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 8,447 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is inflation, consumer prices in South Korea?
- Inflation, consumer prices in South Korea was 2.1% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest inflation, consumer prices recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 29.5% in 1964.
- What is the lowest inflation, consumer prices recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2019.
- How does South Korea rank for inflation, consumer prices?
- South Korea ranks 129th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is inflation, consumer prices rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 200.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Inflation, consumer prices (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Inflation as measured by the consumer price index reflects the annual percentage change in the cost to the average consumer of acquiring a basket of goods and services that may be fixed or changed at specified intervals, such as yearly.