#701, Seoul YWCA, 1-1, Myeongdong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul  (Postal code: 100-021)

    

Press Release Date of Release: March 24, 2008  Phone : 02-774-4050 / Fax: 02-774-4090 Contact: Lee Jeong-su, Secretary General Lee Eun-ji, organizer     The Price of Ramen in Seoul Has Risen by KRW 28 Compared with Two Weeks Ago.   The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations (Chairperson Kim Cheon-ju) started surveying the prices of consumer goods in Seoul on March 1, 2008. The purposes of this survey are to check if the current price hike is appropriate, raise questions about price rises, and protect customers’ options by providing accurate price information. In this second survey, eight member organizations under the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations surveyed 16 large discount chains in 25 districts of Seoul (E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Home Plus, Home Ever, Hanaro Mart), department stores, large supermarkets and conventional markets. From March 17 to 18, the prices of six items (ramen, sugar, flour, cooking oil, detergent, cosmetic tissue) were checked and compared with the results obtained from the first survey (March 3).   According to the findings of the second survey, the price of ramen has sustained the highest price increase of 5.0%. The most expensive ramen is Sin Ramen (normal price: KRW 770) and the least expensive is Jin Ramen (discounted price: KRW 380). While sugar and flour have undergone a price increase of 1.5% and 0.4% respectively, cooking oil and cosmetic tissue have decreased in price, by 2.6% and 6.9% respectively. Products with the largest gap between the highest and lowest prices are 3kg Baekseol Sugar with a highest price of KRW 4,000 and a lowest price of KRW 2,600; 2.5kg Baekseol Flour with a highest price of KRW 5,020 and a lowest price of KRW 2,700; and 1.8L Haepyo Cooking Oil with a highest price of KRW 5,950 and a lowest price of KRW 2,700.  The most expensive and least expensive products are as follows: 『Most Expensive and Least Expensive Products』 (Unit: KRW) Product Lowest Price (A) Shop with the Lowest Price and Its Location Highest Price (B) Shop with the Highest Price and Its Location Gap (B-A) Ramen Sin Ramen   520 Outlet Mart (Seocho-gu), Daeho Mart (Seocho-gu), Hyeongbune Mart (Seocho-gu), Hanmoro Mart(Nowon-gu), Hansol Mart (Songpa-gu), Palace Hyper Market (Songpa-gu), Orange Mart(Jungrang-gu), Hanaro Mart (Eunpyeong-gu), Jiyeong Mart (Gwangjin-gu), World Mart, Mada Mart (Dongjak-gu), Hanaro Mart (Jongno-gu)    770 Hyundai Department Store (Seongbuk-gu)   250 Samyang Ramen   440 K Mart (Dobong-gu)    750 Good Morning Mart (Yeongdeungpo-gu), Eunhye Supermarket (Gwangjin-gu), Green Mart (Seongdong-gu)    310 Jin Ramen   380 Lucky Super Mart (Seongbuk-gu)    750 Home Mart (Gwangjin-gu), Eunhye Supermarket (Gwangjin-gu)    370 Sugar   CJ 3kg 2,600 Jungang Mart (Seongdong-gu)  4,000 Lucky Mart (Jongno-gu) 1,400 2.722kg 2,720 Home Ever (Yangcheon-gu), E-Mart (Gangseo-gu), Home Ever (Gangseo-gu)  3,850 Lotte Supermarket (Nowon-gu) 1,130 Samyangsa Q.one 3kg 2,800 M Eru Mart (Dongdaemun-gu)  3,630 Hanaro Mart(Gangseo-gu)   830 2.722kg 2,640 Hanaro Mart(Jungrang-gu), Hom Ever (Guro-gu)  3,600 GS Supermarket (Gwanak-gu), GS Mart (Songpa-gu), GS Mart (Gangbuk-gu)   960 Flour   CJ 1kg 1,150 Plus Mart (Gangbuk-gu)  2,200 House (Seongdong-gu), Samseong Discount Mart (Seongdong-gu), Jeil Mart (Seongdong-gu) 1,050 2.5kg 2,700 Midopa Supermarket (Gwanak-gu)  5,020 Songhwa Market (Gangseo-gu) 2,320 Daehan Flour Mills Gompyo 1kg 1,200 Sinseong Mart (Gwanak-gu), Eunhye Super Market (Gwangjin-gu)   2,200 Wooseong Mart (Seocho-gu) 1,600 2.5kg 2,400 E-Mart (Guro-gu), E-Mart (Eunpyeong-gu)  4,640 GS Supermarket (Songpa-gu) 2,240 Samyangsa Q.one 1kg   940 Lotte Department Store (Yeongdeungpo)  1,860 GS Mart (Seongdong-gu), E-Mart (Seongdong-gu)    920 2.5kg 3,600 Gwangjin Supermarket (Gwangjin-gu)  4,330 E-Mart (Gangdong-gu), E-Mart (Gangseo-gu), Home Plus (Jungrang-gu)   730 Cooking Oil   Baekseol Cooking Oil 3,300 GO Mart (Guro-gu)  5,900 Yeoui Supermarket (Yeongdeungpo-gu) 2,600 Haepyo Cooking Oil 2,700 Free Mart (Gangnam-gu)  5,950 Wellbeing Food Mart (Yongsan-gu) 3,250 Maleun Cooking Oil 3,300 Core Mart (Seongbuk-gu)  6,590 Home Ever (Geumcheon-gu) 3,290 Detergent Super Tide 3kg 4,950 Hyundai Green Mart (Gwanak-gu) 10,900 Hana Mart (Jung-gu) 5,950 5kg 6,350 Sinbaram Mart (Seongdong-gu) 14,500 Donga Delta Mart (Jung-gu) 8,150 Spark 3kg 5,500 Lucky Mart Dongdaemun-gu) 13,000 Hanil Mart (Guro-gu) 7,500 4kg 7,500 Lotte Mart (Gwangjin-gu) 11,700 Kim’s Mart(Dobong-gu), E-Mart(Dobong-gu), E-Mart (Nowon-gu), 2001 Outlet, E-Mart(Gangdong-gu) 4,200 Bit 3kg 4,500 Daeseong Supermarket (Gwanak-gu) 13,900 Lotte Supermarket (Nowon-gu) 9,400 3.2kg 6,500 Daerim Discount Mart (Dongdaemun-gu) 14,300 Lotte Mart (Yeongdeungpo-gu) 7,800 Cosmetic Tissue Kleenex (Yuhan Kimberly) 3,500 Geumneung Discount Mart (Gangseo-gu)  8,300 Lucky Super Mart (Seongbuk-gu) 4,800 Codi (Ssang Yong Paper) 3,050 Kim’s Mart (Seocho-gu)  8,950 2001 Outlet (Gangdong-gu), Home Plus (Yeongdeungpo-gu) 5,900 Kkaekkeuthan-nara (Daehan Pulp) 3,310 Home Plus (Jungrang-gu)  7,900 Save Zone(Nowon-gu) 4,590 Remark * Included are the prices of unsold products, discounted products and products with freebies.   ■ References ※ Survey Schedule  일   정  내   용  March 1～2  1st Price Survey  March 17～18  2nd Price Survey  March 31～April 1  3rd Price Survey  April 14～15  4th Price Survey  April 28~ 29  5th Price Survey  May 12～13  6th Price Survey  May 26～27  7th Price Survey ※ Surveyed Items The prices of six items from three brand names were surveyed.   - Ramen : Sin Ramen, Samyang Ramen, Jin Ramen   - Sugar : CJ Baekseol, Q.one   - Flour : CJ Baekseol, Gompyo, Q.one   - Cooking Oil : CJ Baekseol, Haepyo, Q.one   - Detergent : Super Tide, Spark, Bit   - Cosmetic Tissue : Kleenex, Codi, Kkaekkeuthan-nara