Seoul: South Korea's consumer prices rose more than 3 percent from a year earlier for two straight months in June, reflecting the lingering impact of the Middle East war on supply chains and oil prices, data showed Thursday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, increased 3.2 percent last month from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the latest rise was driven by a surge in petroleum product prices, with gasoline prices rising 23.1 percent and diesel prices jumping 33.7 percent. South Korea relies heavily on imports to meet its energy needs. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted supply chains, leading to increased costs in importing essential energy resources, thereby impacting consumer prices.