Seoul: South Korea's data ministry announced it will release daily updates on the prices of major food items and fuel to help the government monitor price changes in real time and respond promptly. The Ministry of Data and Statistics stated it will release the figures from Thursday through September 23 for 36 items, including apples, pears, eggs, flour, and gasoline.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the initiative comes as the country prepares to celebrate Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, from September 24-27. This holiday is characterized by visits to hometowns, family reunions, ancestral rites, and the preparation and consumption of specially prepared foods.

The data ministry will conduct both offline and online price surveys and share the findings with relevant ministries to enhance the effectiveness of inflation-control policies. "The detailed data gathered from the daily price research will serve as key basic data in setting effective consumer price policies on Chuseok-related items," Data Minister Ahn Hyung-jun stated.