South Korea plans to continue efforts to tame inflation amid the annual "gimjang" season during which households make kimchi ahead of winter, the deputy finance minister said Thursday.
The remark followed reports that this year's average price of making kimchi with 20 cabbages is estimated at 191,000 won (US$147), down 11.7 percent from a year earlier.
The annual tradition of "gimjang" usually takes place from November to December as people make large amounts of kimchi as part of preparations for the cold winter.
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish typically made from fermented vegetables and red pepper, eaten with almost every meal.
"While prices of agricultural products are showing signs of stabilization, there are still uncertainties, including weather conditions," Deputy Finance Minister Hong Doo-seon said in a statement, noting that curbing inflation remains the top priority for all government ministries.
Hong added that while prices of apples and other fruits remain high due to lower production, the government will continue its efforts to reduce costs by rolling out discount promotions.