President Lee Jae-myung has instructed the government and his aides to come up with measures to curb inflation. 

The president issued the order on Monday while presiding over the second meeting of the emergency economy review task force at the presidential office. 

Lee asked the participants to devise ways to address soaring prices, mentioning recent hikes in the prices of processed food products such as instant noodles.

First Vice Minister Kim Beom-seok said instant noodles and beer in particular have increased in price quite a lot during this period of political uncertainty. 

Kim also said egg and chicken prices are of particular concern, adding that the outbreak of avian influenza in Brazil could lead to a surge in chicken prices in South Korea, a major importer of Brazilian chicken. 

The president said many factors are causing inflation and called on officials to brief him on possible responses, since it is causing the people so much pain. 

Ahead of the meeting, the president also reaffirmed his commitment to a supplementary budget to stimulate the economy.