SEOUL: South Korea's inflation rate rose to a seven-month high in March on the increasing cost of homes, utilities and clothes, state data showed Tuesday.
The consumer price index was up 1.3 percent from a year ago -- the highest since August last year -- according to data from the state-run Statistics Korea.
The index rose one percent year-on-year in February.
But the March reading was lower than the median 1.4 percent increase forecast by economists surveyed by the Dow Jones Newswires.
The core inflation rate -- which excludes volatile oil and food prices -- was up 2.1 percent year-on-year, accelerating from 1.7 percent in February.
The cost of clothes and shoes rose 4.1 percent year-on-year, while housing and utilities prices rose three percent. Price of household products also gained two percent.
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