New data shows that real income of households nationwide has dwindled about five percent from a year earlier amid rapid inflation. 
 
According to the Statistics Korea data, released by main opposition Democratic Party Representative Kim Hoi-jae on Monday, the average real income of households, whose breadwinners were regular employees, dropped five percent in the third quarter from the same quarter last year. The data was analyzed by the National Assembly Research Service and commissioned by the lawmaker. 
 
The retreat in real income came as the consumer price index jumped five-point-nine percent during the same period. Households’ nominal income growth stood at a meager zero-point-five percent. 
 
Households led by part-time workers or daily employees saw a steeper cut of five-point-one percent and five-point-six percent, respectively, in real income on-year. 
 
Real income of self-employed-led households also dropped, particularly in households whose heads were employing at least one worker. They saw an average drop of two-point-five percent. 
 
The nation’s on-year price growth peaked in July at six-point-three percent but marked five percent or higher in the following four months and is likely to stay at around five percent for the time being.