South Korea’s import prices rose 18.7% year-on-year in July 2026, slowing from a revised 20.9% increase in June. The overall gain was driven primarily by mining products, which jumped 24.9% amid higher costs for coal, crude petroleum and natural gas (up 23.8%), as well as metallic and non-metallic mineral products (up 32.3%).
Import prices for manufactured goods advanced 16.7%, reflecting a 35.5% surge in coal and petroleum products and a 28.0% increase in basic metal products. Meanwhile, prices for agricultural, forestry and marine products climbed 15.2%, with marine foods up 20.6% and agricultural foods rising 18.3%.