SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's household income rose for the 10th straight quarter due to an expansion in earned and business incomes, statistical ministry data showed Thursday.
On a nominal basis, the monthly average income per household with one or more family members grew 4.0 percent from a year earlier to 5,422,000 won (3,800 U.S. dollars) in the October-December quarter of 2025, continuing to increase since the third quarter of 2023, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
The real household income, adjusted for inflation, gained 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter on a yearly basis.
The nominal earned income climbed 3.9 percent to 3,369,000 won (2,360 dollars) in the fourth quarter, higher than a growth of 1.1 percent in the previous quarter.
Business income swelled 3.0 percent to 1,124,000 won (790 dollars), but property income reduced 8.9 percent.
The nominal transfer income expanded 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier.
The monthly average expenditure per household mounted 4.4 percent over the year to 4,081,000 won (2,860 dollars) in the October-December quarter.
Consumption expenditure went up 3.6 percent to 3,008,000 won (2,110 dollars) in the fourth quarter, faster than an increase of 1.3 percent in the prior quarter.
The inflation-adjusted real consumption expenditure rose 1.2 percent, marking the first rebound in four quarters.
On a nominal basis, expenses on transport, miscellaneous goods and services, and food and non-alcoholic beverages grew in the cited quarter, while expenditure on health, education, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels fell in single digits.
Non-consumption expenditure, including the payment of tax, social insurance premiums and interest costs, picked up 6.5 percent to 1,073,000 won (750 dollars) in the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter of 2024.
The monthly average disposable income per household, or nominal income minus non-consumption expenditure, gained 3.4 percent over the year to 4,349,000 won (3,050 dollars) in the fourth quarter.
The average consumption propensity among households, which measures the ratio of consumption expenditure to disposable income, was up 0.2 percentage points to 69.2 percent.
Income disparity among households widened in the cited quarter. The monthly average income for households in the bottom 20 percent income bracket grew 4.6 percent to 1,269,000 won (890 dollars), while income for households in the top 20 percent income group spiked 6.1 percent to 11,877,000 won (8,320 dollars).
The monthly average consumption expenditure in the bottom bracket increased 5.7 percent to 1,464,000 won (1,030 dollars), while the expenditure in the top group expanded 4.3 percent to 5,110,000 won (3,580 dollars). ■