CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change in South Korea
South Korea: CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change was 2.12 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change from previous in South Korea, 1953–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous in South Korea stood at 2.12.
That represents a change of down 8.6% on the previous year and up 198.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous in South Korea peaked at 68.31 in 1955 and was at its lowest, -3.48, in 1958.
That places South Korea 126th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 52.51 | — |
| 1954 | 37.13 | -29.3% |
| 1955 | 68.31 | +84.0% |
| 1956 | 22.99 | -66.3% |
| 1957 | 23.11 | +0.5% |
| 1958 | -3.48 | -115.1% |
| 1959 | 3.18 | -191.4% |
| 1960 | 7.97 | +150.6% |
| 1961 | 8.2 | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 6.62 | -19.3% |
| 1963 | 20.69 | +212.5% |
| 1964 | 29.46 | +42.4% |
| 1965 | 13.55 | -54.0% |
| 1966 | 11.26 | -16.9% |
| 1967 | 10.88 | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 10.77 | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 12.39 | +15.0% |
| 1970 | 15.95 | +28.7% |
| 1971 | 13.51 | -15.3% |
| 1972 | 11.69 | -13.5% |
| 1973 | 3.22 | -72.5% |
| 1974 | 24.3 | +654.7% |
| 1975 | 25.25 | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 15.33 | -39.3% |
| 1977 | 10.1 | -34.1% |
| 1978 | 14.46 | +43.2% |
| 1979 | 18.32 | +26.7% |
| 1980 | 28.7 | +56.7% |
| 1981 | 21.35 | -25.6% |
| 1982 | 7.19 | -66.3% |
| 1983 | 3.42 | -52.4% |
| 1984 | 2.27 | -33.6% |
| 1985 | 2.46 | +8.4% |
| 1986 | 2.75 | +11.8% |
| 1987 | 3.05 | +10.9% |
| 1988 | 7.15 | +134.4% |
| 1989 | 5.7 | -20.3% |
| 1990 | 8.57 | +50.4% |
| 1991 | 9.33 | +8.9% |
| 1992 | 6.21 | -33.4% |
| 1993 | 4.8 | -22.7% |
| 1994 | 6.27 | +30.6% |
| 1995 | 4.48 | -28.5% |
| 1996 | 4.92 | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 4.44 | -9.8% |
| 1998 | 7.51 | +69.1% |
| 1999 | 0.81 | -89.2% |
| 2000 | 2.26 | +179.0% |
| 2001 | 4.07 | +80.1% |
| 2002 | 2.76 | -32.2% |
| 2003 | 3.51 | +27.2% |
| 2004 | 3.59 | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 2.75 | -23.4% |
| 2006 | 2.24 | -18.5% |
| 2007 | 2.53 | +12.9% |
| 2008 | 4.67 | +84.6% |
| 2009 | 2.76 | -40.9% |
| 2010 | 2.94 | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 4.03 | +37.1% |
| 2012 | 2.19 | -45.7% |
| 2013 | 1.3 | -40.6% |
| 2014 | 1.27 | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 0.71 | -44.1% |
| 2016 | 0.97 | +36.6% |
| 2017 | 1.94 | +100.0% |
| 2018 | 1.48 | -23.7% |
| 2019 | 0.38 | -74.3% |
| 2020 | 0.54 | +42.1% |
| 2021 | 2.5 | +363.0% |
| 2022 | 5.09 | +103.6% |
| 2023 | 3.6 | -29.3% |
| 2024 | 2.32 | -35.6% |
| 2025 | 2.12 | -8.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.12 is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.32, 91% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.12 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change 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 | +654.7% | 3.22 | 24.3 |
| 2021 | +363.0% | 0.54 | 2.5 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 29.11 | -3.48 | 68.31 | 7 |
| 1960s | 13.18 | 6.62 | 29.46 | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.21 | 3.22 | 25.25 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.4 | 2.27 | 28.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.73 | 0.81 | 9.33 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.11 | 2.24 | 4.67 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.72 | 0.38 | 4.03 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7 | 0.54 | 5.09 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More work & labour data for South Korea
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 16,840 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 63.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,824 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.96 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.78 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 97,052 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 65,686 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 62.02 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.9719 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1065 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous in South Korea?
- Cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous in South Korea was 2.12 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 68.31 in 1955.
- What is the lowest cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.48 in 1958.
- How does South Korea rank for cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous?
- South Korea ranks 126th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is cpi: national consumer price index, percentage change from previous rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 198.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of CPI: National consumer price index, percentage change from previous year (General - Individual consumption expenditure of households). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
This indicator shows the percentage change of the CPI between a period and the same period of the previous year. Data are disaggregated by the Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (COICOP). For more information, refer to the Prices, Costs, and Currency Conversions (PRICES) database description.