S. Korea's consumer prices rise 2.8 pct in Dec: gov't report

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices grew at the fastest pace
in eight months in December as prices of food, alcoholic beverage and clothes
increased, a report showed Thursday.

According to the report by Statistics Korea, the consumer price index rose 2.8
percent this month from a year earlier, accelerating from a 2.4 percent on-year
advance the previous month. It was the fastest annual gain since April when
prices jumped 3.6 percent.
Core inflation, excluding volatile oil and food prices, rose 2.2 percent this
month from a year ago, the report showed. For the full 2009 year, prices advanced
2.8 percent, staying within the central bank's earlier target range of 2.5
percent and 3.5 percent, according to the report.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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