SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Price for imported goods to South Korea rose for the fourth straight month due to the local currency's depreciation to the U.S. dollar, central bank data showed Friday.
The import price index increased 1.9 percent in October from a month earlier after going up 0.8 percent in July, 0.3 percent in August and 0.3 percent in September, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The consecutive growth was affected by the local currency's descent versus the greenback that offset cheaper crude oil.
Price for Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 65.00 U.S. dollars per barrel in October, down from 70.01 dollars in the previous month.
The average won-to-dollar exchange rate mounted to 1,423.36 won per dollar in October from 1,391.83 won in September.
Price for imported raw materials slipped 0.6 percent in October on a monthly basis amid the lower crude oil price.
Import price for intermediary goods jumped 3.8 percent last month, continuing to increase for the fourth successive month.
Price for imported capital and consumer goods swelled 1.3 percent and 1.7 percent each.
The export price index picked up 4.1 percent in October from a month earlier, keeping an upward trend since July. ■