S. Korea's consumer prices rise 2.7 pct in May

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices grew at the slowest pace
in 20 months in May as the cost of oil-related products declined, a government
report showed Monday.

According to the report by the National Statistical Office, the consumer price
index rose 2.7 percent last month from a year earlier, slowing from a 3.6 percent
on-year advance the previous month. It was the slowest annual growth since
September 2007 when prices rose 2.3 percent.
Core inflation, excluding volatile oil and food prices, gained 3.9 percent last
month, compared with the previous month's 4.2 percent rise, the report showed.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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