Survey covers 7 major cities, including Seoul and Busan, through Sept. 23

24 farm, livestock and fisheries items included, among them apples, pears and beef

Daily results to be shared with related ministries for supply-demand measures

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Tuesday it will fully roll out a "Chuseok Holiday Fisheries Price Stabilization Plan" ahead of the chuseok holiday. The ministry is investing a record 44 billion won ($33 million) to help ease the burden of household grocery costs. Citizens shop at a traditional market in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Tuesday it will fully roll out a "Chuseok Holiday Fisheries Price Stabilization Plan" ahead of the chuseok holiday. The ministry is investing a record 44 billion won ($33 million) to help ease the burden of household grocery costs. Citizens shop at a traditional market in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Ahead of chuseok ("Korean autumn harvest festival"), the government will conduct daily surveys on the prices of key holiday goods -- such as apples, pears and beef -- and dining-out items. The results will be shared immediately with related ministries to help them craft supply-and-demand stabilization measures for items with sharply rising prices.

The Ministry of Statistics said it will carry out a 10-day "Chuseok Daily Price Survey" from Thursday through Sept. 23.

The survey covers a total of 36 items, including farm, livestock and fisheries products, processed foods, petroleum products and dining-out items. The 24 farm, livestock and fisheries items include apples, pears, chestnuts, beef, eggs and croaker, while the five processed food items include flour, tofu and cooking oil.

Three petroleum products -- gasoline, diesel and kerosene -- and four dining-out items, including samgyeopsal and chicken, are also included in the survey.

The survey will be conducted in seven major cities, including Seoul and Busan. Investigators will use both in-person interviews at the scene and online surveys.

The Ministry of Statistics plans to provide the survey results to related ministries every day. The goal is to quickly detect price fluctuations in chuseok holiday goods. This will allow supply-and-demand stabilization measures -- such as expanding supply or offering discount support -- to be rolled out in a timely manner.

Ahead of the survey, Ahn Hyeong-jun, head of the Ministry of Statistics, visited Namguro Market in Seoul on Tuesday to check price trends for key holiday goods such as apples and pears and to hear merchants' concerns.

"The precise data gathered through the daily price survey will serve as key basic data for stabilizing the supply and demand of chuseok holiday goods and for establishing effective price policies," Ahn said. "We will provide accurate and prompt statistical services that the public can feel in their daily lives."


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