Inflation South Korea 2020

Average inflation: 0.5%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very low at 0.5%, well below the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in January at 1.2%. The lowest inflation was in May at -0.2%.

Highest month
January: 1.2%
Lowest month
May: -0.2%
Difference
1.4 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Food and non-alcoholic beverages with an average of 4.4%. The lowest price increase was in Education with an average of -2.1%.

Highest increase
Food and non-alcoholic beverages: 4.4%
Lowest increase
Education: -2.1%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 0.6% lower than the 5-year average of 1.1%.

5-year average
1.1%
10-year average
1.5%
All-time high (2008)
4.7%
All-time low (2019)
0.4%

Trend

Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2019, the difference is minimal (+0.1 percentage point).

Change vs. previous year
+0.1 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
September: +1.3 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 1.5% below the ECB target of 2.0%. Too low inflation may indicate economic weakness.

Purchasing Power

At this inflation rate, purchasing power gradually decreases. The impact on daily expenses is relatively limited.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €100.50 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2020

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
4.4%
+3.9vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
0.3%
-0.2vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
0.7%
+0.2vs avg.
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Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
0.5%
+0.0vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
0.0%
-0.5vs avg.
More details →
Health
1.5%
+1.0vs avg.
More details →
Transport
-1.8%
-2.3vs avg.
More details →
Communication
-2.1%
-2.6vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
-1.0%
-1.5vs avg.
More details →
Education
-2.1%
-2.6vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
0.9%
+0.4vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
2.0%
+1.5vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2019
January 1.2% +0.4
February 0.9% +0.4
March 0.8% +0.4
April 0.0% -0.6
May -0.2% -0.9
June 0.2% -0.5
July 0.4% -0.2
August 0.8% +0.8
September 0.9% +1.3
October 0.1% +0.1
November 0.6% +0.4
December 0.6% -0.1
Average 0.5%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 11/01/2026.

See also