Annual percentage change in primary energy use in South Korea
South Korea: Annual percentage change in primary energy use was -1.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage 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 %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded -1.5% for annual percentage change in primary energy use in 2025.
The figure is down 169.8% on the previous year and down 192.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in primary energy use in South Korea peaked at 24.1% in 1973 and was at its lowest, -8.5%, in 1998.
That places South Korea 180th out of 217 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 percentage change in primary energy use in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 21.0% | — |
| 1967 | 15.3% | -27.2% |
| 1968 | 14.9% | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 20.3% | +35.7% |
| 1970 | 16.6% | -17.9% |
| 1971 | 8.2% | -50.7% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | -55.1% |
| 1973 | 24.1% | +555.6% |
| 1974 | 3.5% | -85.5% |
| 1975 | 10.3% | +194.9% |
| 1976 | 11.9% | +16.1% |
| 1977 | 15.4% | +29.2% |
| 1978 | 12.0% | -22.2% |
| 1979 | 15.2% | +26.5% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | -79.4% |
| 1981 | 4.4% | +40.9% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -89.8% |
| 1983 | 8.7% | +1854.7% |
| 1984 | 9.5% | +8.5% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | +8.7% |
| 1986 | 12.7% | +22.8% |
| 1987 | 10.9% | -13.7% |
| 1988 | 12.1% | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 8.6% | -29.0% |
| 1990 | 14.2% | +64.7% |
| 1991 | 13.8% | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | -10.1% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | -23.4% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | -12.6% |
| 1995 | 9.1% | +9.6% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | +14.9% |
| 1997 | 9.2% | -12.2% |
| 1998 | -8.5% | -192.3% |
| 1999 | 9.0% | -206.4% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | -37.0% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -53.0% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +72.0% |
| 2003 | 3.2% | -29.6% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -13.1% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +17.6% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -39.0% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -25.4% |
| 2009 | 0.6% | -71.5% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | +1263.6% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | -35.6% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -78.8% |
| 2013 | -0.1% | -113.3% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | -910.5% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | +47.5% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +103.4% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -74.0% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | +130.7% |
| 2019 | -1.3% | -161.0% |
| 2020 | -3.9% | +208.3% |
| 2021 | 5.3% | -237.5% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | -74.9% |
| 2023 | -1.8% | -234.1% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | -224.4% |
| 2025 | -1.5% | -169.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -1.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -1.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.7%. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage 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 | +1854.7% | 0.4% | 8.7% |
| 2010 | +1263.6% | 0.6% | 7.8% |
| 2014 | +910.5% | -0.1% | 1.1% |
| 1973 | +555.6% | 3.7% | 24.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.9% | 14.9% | 21.0% | 4 |
| 1970s | 12.1% | 3.5% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.1% | 0.4% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.8% | -8.5% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 0.6% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | -1.3% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | -3.9% | 5.3% | 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)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (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)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in primary energy use in South Korea?
- Annual percentage change in primary energy use in South Korea was -1.5% 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 percentage change in primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1% in 1973.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.5% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for annual percentage change in primary energy use?
- South Korea ranks 180th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual percentage change in primary energy use rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 192.0%. 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 percentage change in primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in total energy supply relative to the previous year.