2026.07.1421:00:00UTC+00South Korea’s Import Price Inflation Cools to 20.6% in June, Easing from May Peak

South Korea’s import price index growth eased in June 2026, signaling a moderation in external cost pressures after a sharp run-up earlier in the year. Year-over-year, import prices rose 20.6% in June, down from a 25.4% increase in May 2026, according to data updated on 14 July 2026.

The figures compare the price changes in each month to the same month a year earlier, showing that while import costs remain significantly higher than a year ago, the pace of increase has slowed. The May reading marked a stronger surge in import prices, but June’s data suggests some relief in imported inflation pressures, which can influence everything from production costs to consumer prices in South Korea.

Market participants and policymakers are likely to monitor whether June’s deceleration marks the beginning of a more sustained easing in import price inflation, or merely a temporary pause after May’s stronger rise.