October inflation 2.8%… core inflation excluding food and energy 2.8%

South Korea's consumer price inflation eased to 2.8% year-on-year in October from 3.1% in August and 2.9% in September, with the CPI at 120.73 (2020=100), up 0.2% month-on-month, according to Statistics Korea data released on the 3rd. Core inflation excluding food and energy held at 2.8% year-on-year, matching September, though it rose 0.4% month-on-month after a 0.1% decline the prior month, while the index excluding agricultural products and petroleum products climbed to 2.8% from 2.7%. The headline rate remains 0.8 percentage points above the Bank of Korea's 2.0% target, keeping pressure on policymakers to hold rates higher for longer. Investors should watch upcoming BOK policy signals and core inflation trends for confirmation that disinflation is broadening beyond volatile food and energy components.