Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Turning now to domestic economy The latest inflation report says consumer prices have
been stable for four straight months.
But consumers say they aren't feeling it yet at the checkout stands.
Our Ji Myung-kil headed out to grocery store to talk to struggling shoppers.
Shopping for food and other necessities is part of life, so even the slightest price
fluctuations have an impact on consumers.
Fortunately, Koreans haven't had to worry about dramatic increases for the past few
months.
Statistics Korea announced Tuesday that the consumer price increase had remained in the
one-percent range from last November to this February.
Experts say this is the first time since 1999 that consumer prices have stayed below 2 percent
for four months in a row.
But consumers may not feel much difference.
"This is a branch of E-mart, one of the country's major supermarket chains.
Experts say food prices have stabilized but shoppers here don't agree."
"Everything is just too expensive.
Fruits, vegetables and even baby products for my child you name it.
I'm afraid of the prices because they keep soaring."
"When I come here to buy food once or twice a week, I try to set a spending limit, but
I always exceed the amount because of the high food prices."
Experts say the government needs to set short- and long-term goals in order to stabilize
prices.
"In the short-run, stabilizing commodity prices is a priority, and in the long-run, stabilizing
housing fees, public service fees and the effective management of state-owned companies
is a must."
Experts say consumer prices will stay in the one-percent range for the time being, but
that will likely increase in the second half of the year.
Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News.