Dutch International: South Korea's inflation level in 2026 may be stronger than expected.

Min Joo Kang of the Netherlands International Group stated that due to the rise in oil prices caused by the tension in the Middle East, South Korea's inflation level this year may be stronger than expected. The Netherlands International Group has raised its forecast for South Korea's Consumer Price Index in 2026, expecting it to increase from the previous prediction of 2.0% to 2.2%. Kang mentioned that with oil prices rising by 10% in a month, it is expected to push the CPI up by about 0.4 percentage points. She predicts that the government will mitigate the impact of inflation by cutting fuel taxes, setting price ceilings on energy products, and implementing other policy tools. She added that overall, these factors may push the CPI up by 0.2-0.4 percentage points in the coming months.