The central bank forecast the nation will see greater on-year inflation for 2022, in line with consumer prices that topped three percent for four months in a row.

In an assessment report on Friday, the Bank of Korea(BOK) said the recent inflationary pressure is not limited to specific items, but rather encompasses all areas.

BOK pointed out that the number of items with price jumps of over two percent more than doubled from a year earlier, and noted that the gains are most evident among foodservice items.

In January, the prices of 34 out of 39 foodservice items jumped over three percent on-year. The monthly price increase for such items stood at one percent, which is the highest since 1998.

The report projected that the surge in costs will likely continue this year, due to additional inflationary pressure stemming from a rebound in demand and the underlying rise in prices of raw materials, in conjunction with a downward rigidity.