S. Korea's consumer price gain slows to 4.8 pct in October

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices grew at a slower pace in October than in the previous month as a decline in oil and commodity prices reduced overall import costs, a government report showed Monday.

The consumer price index rose 4.8 percent last month from a year earlier,
decelerating from a 5.1 percent on-year advance in the previous month, according
to the National Statistical Office (NSO).
Lower inflation comes from a sharp drop in prices of oil and other commodities.
The price of Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, has more than halved since
peaking in mid-July.
Still, the October inflation figure breached the central bank's target range for
a 11th straight month. The Bank of Korea aims to keep the nation's inflation rate
under 3.5 percent until 2009.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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