The increase in prices at grocery stores in South Korea has ranked the country among the top of the OECD for the third consecutive quarter. 
 
This is attributed to a number of things including the summer heat and heavy rain. The avian influenza and the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak this year have also raised agricultural, livestock and fishery prices.
 
However in the fourth quarter, food price increases may ease due to a base effect and prices gradually stabilizing. 
 
According to OECD data on Saturday, food costs in South Korea rose five-point-four percent in the third quarter year-on-year, the sixth highest in the OECD.
 
Korea ranked fifth in the first quarter and sixth in the second.