South Korea Producer Inflation Hits 19-Month High in February

South Korea’s producer prices rose 2.4% year-on-year in February 2026, up from January’s rate and representing the fastest increase since July 2024, as price pressures remained broad-based across major sectors. Service prices climbed 3.2% (vs 2.6% in January), manufacturing prices advanced 2.3% (vs 1.8%), and prices for agricultural, forestry and marine products jumped 4.5% (vs 2.4%), underscoring a strong rebound in farm-related costs. In contrast, prices for electricity, gas and water remained in decline at -1.1%, following a -1.3% drop in the previous month. On a monthly basis, producer prices increased 0.6% in February, the same pace as in January.