South Korea's consumer price index rose more than expected in July, halting the cooling trend of inflation, which will further support policymakers' caution about potential policy shifts, according to Jinshi Data. The South Korean government reported on Friday that the consumer price index rose 2.6% year-on-year in July, higher than 2.4% in June. The market forecast was 2.5%. This is the first time that the consumer price index has accelerated since February. The Bank of Korea remains cautious about the prospect of easing policy, waiting for further evidence that inflation is cooling as expected. Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong said last month that the committee is concerned that any signal of a policy shift could further drive a rebound in the real estate market, leading to rising household debt. His speech prompted some economists to postpone their expectations for a rate cut from August to October.