South Korea April CPI hits +2.6% YoY, 21-month high as gasoline surges 21%, diesel 30%

Iran War Drives South Korea's Energy Prices to 21-Month High

South Korea's consumer price index rose 2.6% year-on-year in April 2026, hitting its highest level in 21 months, according to data released by Statistics Korea on May 6. The primary driver was an energy shock tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict: gasoline prices surged 21% year-on-year, while diesel climbed 30%, reflecting disrupted crude-oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalation in energy costs is filtering across the broader economy. Airlines have raised fuel surcharges to record levels, and logistics and transport cost increases are spreading through manufacturing and distribution supply chains. Consumer sentiment surveys already show increased concern about household purchasing power.

The reading complicates the Bank of Korea's monetary policy calculus. The BoK, under Governor Lee Chang-yong, has maintained an easing bias amid slowing growth, but a CPI of 2.6% represents a meaningful overshoot of the bank's 2.0% target. Market participants are now pricing in a possible adjustment to the pace of rate cuts at the May Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

A structural dynamic is also at play: South Korea's energy import dependence means the Hormuz disruption feeds inflation with a shorter lag than in energy-producing economies. Any diplomatic resolution could reverse the fuel price shock relatively quickly, but the pace of unwinding is uncertain.

Key dates: Bank of Korea May MPC meeting (date TBD); May CPI flash estimate (expected early June 2026).

Not investment advice. Verify all figures with primary sources before acting.