However, in the South Korean market, the cost per MWh of different technologies has little impact on the final price, due to the existence of a de-facto link between wholesale electricity prices (System Marginal Prices – SMP) and the cost of LNG-based electricity generation. [...] The volatility and price growth of the analysed energy sources exceeded the volatility and increase in overall consumer prices in South Korea over the past 27 years. [...] The recent price rises are the result of heightened pressure on energy security as Seoul’s reliance on imports increased and the need to bridge the widening gap between the cost of LNG imports by KOGAS and the retail price of gas. [...] However, given the strain that energy prices exercise on the overall price index, reducing the country’s Cambridge Econometrics 14 Millions Millions Millions Millions Fossil fuel prices and inflation in South Korea reliance on fossil fuels could reduce the impact of energy prices on South Korea’s inflation rate in the long run. [...] In the long term, however, the government will need to find ways to finance KEPCO’s inability to meet its costs and service the growing debt being accumulated – which us likely to result in the use of taxpayer money to support the company.