Annual change in primary energy use in South Korea
South Korea: Annual change in primary energy use was -56.71 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-56.71 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 171.4%
World rank
218th
of 219 countries
All-time high
223.93 terawatt-hours
in 2010
All-time low
-182.98 terawatt-hours
in 1998
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Annual change in primary energy use in South Korea, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
South Korea recorded -56.71 terawatt-hours for annual change in primary energy use in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 171.4% on the previous year and down 201.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in primary energy use in South Korea peaked at 223.93 terawatt-hours in 2010 and was at its lowest, -182.98 terawatt-hours, in 1998.
That places South Korea 218th out of 219 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in primary energy use in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 15.41 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | 13.58 terawatt-hours | -11.9% |
| 1968 | 15.28 terawatt-hours | +12.5% |
| 1969 | 23.84 terawatt-hours | +56.0% |
| 1970 | 23.54 terawatt-hours | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 13.53 terawatt-hours | -42.5% |
| 1972 | 6.57 terawatt-hours | -51.5% |
| 1973 | 44.65 terawatt-hours | +579.7% |
| 1974 | 8.02 terawatt-hours | -82.0% |
| 1975 | 24.46 terawatt-hours | +205.2% |
| 1976 | 31.33 terawatt-hours | +28.1% |
| 1977 | 45.31 terawatt-hours | +44.6% |
| 1978 | 40.68 terawatt-hours | -10.2% |
| 1979 | 57.65 terawatt-hours | +41.7% |
| 1980 | 13.68 terawatt-hours | -76.3% |
| 1981 | 19.87 terawatt-hours | +45.3% |
| 1982 | 2.11 terawatt-hours | -89.4% |
| 1983 | 41.36 terawatt-hours | +1863.5% |
| 1984 | 48.79 terawatt-hours | +18.0% |
| 1985 | 58.09 terawatt-hours | +19.1% |
| 1986 | 78.68 terawatt-hours | +35.4% |
| 1987 | 76.46 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 94.24 terawatt-hours | +23.2% |
| 1989 | 75.01 terawatt-hours | -20.4% |
| 1990 | 134.22 terawatt-hours | +78.9% |
| 1991 | 149.2 terawatt-hours | +11.2% |
| 1992 | 152.6 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 131.33 terawatt-hours | -13.9% |
| 1994 | 125.71 terawatt-hours | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 149.28 terawatt-hours | +18.8% |
| 1996 | 187.07 terawatt-hours | +25.3% |
| 1997 | 181.48 terawatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 1998 | -182.98 terawatt-hours | -200.8% |
| 1999 | 178.16 terawatt-hours | -197.4% |
| 2000 | 122.29 terawatt-hours | -31.4% |
| 2001 | 60.69 terawatt-hours | -50.4% |
| 2002 | 107.17 terawatt-hours | +76.6% |
| 2003 | 78.97 terawatt-hours | -26.3% |
| 2004 | 70.85 terawatt-hours | -10.3% |
| 2005 | 85.65 terawatt-hours | +20.9% |
| 2006 | 53.95 terawatt-hours | -37.0% |
| 2007 | 73.34 terawatt-hours | +35.9% |
| 2008 | 56.18 terawatt-hours | -23.4% |
| 2009 | 16.33 terawatt-hours | -70.9% |
| 2010 | 223.93 terawatt-hours | +1271.4% |
| 2011 | 155.36 terawatt-hours | -30.6% |
| 2012 | 34.52 terawatt-hours | -77.8% |
| 2013 | -4.63 terawatt-hours | -113.4% |
| 2014 | 37.51 terawatt-hours | -909.4% |
| 2015 | 55.95 terawatt-hours | +49.2% |
| 2016 | 115.75 terawatt-hours | +106.9% |
| 2017 | 31.09 terawatt-hours | -73.1% |
| 2018 | 72.35 terawatt-hours | +132.7% |
| 2019 | -45.03 terawatt-hours | -162.2% |
| 2020 | -137.06 terawatt-hours | +204.4% |
| 2021 | 181.19 terawatt-hours | -232.2% |
| 2022 | 47.83 terawatt-hours | -73.6% |
| 2023 | -65 terawatt-hours | -235.9% |
| 2024 | 79.44 terawatt-hours | -222.2% |
| 2025 | -56.71 terawatt-hours | -171.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -56.71 terawatt-hours is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.031 terawatt-hours. (75 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -56.71 terawatt-hours is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2174 terawatt-hours. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in primary energy use in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +1863.5% | 2.11 terawatt-hours | 41.36 terawatt-hours |
| 2010 | +1271.4% | 16.33 terawatt-hours | 223.93 terawatt-hours |
| 2014 | +909.4% | -4.63 terawatt-hours | 37.51 terawatt-hours |
| 1973 | +579.7% | 6.57 terawatt-hours | 44.65 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.03 terawatt-hours | 13.58 terawatt-hours | 23.84 terawatt-hours | 4 |
| 1970s | 29.57 terawatt-hours | 6.57 terawatt-hours | 57.65 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.83 terawatt-hours | 2.11 terawatt-hours | 94.24 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 120.61 terawatt-hours | -182.98 terawatt-hours | 187.07 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.54 terawatt-hours | 16.33 terawatt-hours | 122.29 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.68 terawatt-hours | -45.03 terawatt-hours | 223.93 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.28 terawatt-hours | -137.06 terawatt-hours | 181.19 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 6.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in primary energy use in South Korea?
- Annual change in primary energy use in South Korea was -56.71 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 223.93 terawatt-hours in 2010.
- What is the lowest annual change in primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -182.98 terawatt-hours in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for annual change in primary energy use?
- South Korea ranks 218th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in primary energy use rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 201.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change in total energy supply relative to the previous year, measured in terawatt-hours.