Coal energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Coal energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita was 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
15.35 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
6th
of 78 countries
All-time high
20.49 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2018
All-time low
1.88 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1968
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Coal energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita in South Korea, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita in South Korea is 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita in South Korea peaked at 20.49 kilowatt-hours per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.88 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1968.
That places South Korea 6th out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Coal energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1.97 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 2.18 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.1% |
| 1967 | 2.04 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.6% |
| 1968 | 1.88 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.6% |
| 1969 | 1.93 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 2.01 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 1.99 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 2 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 2.48 kilowatt-hours per person | +23.9% |
| 1974 | 2.51 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 2.6 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 2.86 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.9% |
| 1977 | 3.09 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.8% |
| 1978 | 3.09 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.65 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.3% |
| 1980 | 4.02 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.2% |
| 1981 | 4.58 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.9% |
| 1982 | 4.57 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 4.79 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 5.69 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.7% |
| 1985 | 6.22 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.4% |
| 1986 | 6.5 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.5% |
| 1987 | 6.5 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 6.82 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 6.54 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 6.65 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 6.77 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 6.52 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 7.12 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 7.37 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 7.57 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 8.73 kilowatt-hours per person | +15.4% |
| 1997 | 9.19 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 9.41 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 9.89 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 10.99 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.1% |
| 2001 | 11.63 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 12.39 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 12.81 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 13.46 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 13.64 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 14.05 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 14.71 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 16.31 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.8% |
| 2009 | 16.87 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 18.79 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.4% |
| 2011 | 20.41 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 19.39 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 19.19 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 19.6 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 19.51 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 18.87 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 19.95 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 20.49 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 19.26 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 17.02 kilowatt-hours per person | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 17.53 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 16.87 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 16.33 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 15.32 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.2% |
| 2025 | 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.65 kilowatt-hours per person, 9.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.02 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.6× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2 kilowatt-hours per person | 1.88 kilowatt-hours per person | 2.18 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 2.63 kilowatt-hours per person | 1.99 kilowatt-hours per person | 3.65 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.62 kilowatt-hours per person | 4.02 kilowatt-hours per person | 6.82 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.92 kilowatt-hours per person | 6.52 kilowatt-hours per person | 9.89 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.69 kilowatt-hours per person | 10.99 kilowatt-hours per person | 16.87 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.54 kilowatt-hours per person | 18.79 kilowatt-hours per person | 20.49 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.41 kilowatt-hours per person | 15.32 kilowatt-hours per person | 17.53 kilowatt-hours per person | 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 coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita in South Korea?
- Coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita in South Korea was 15.35 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 20.49 kilowatt-hours per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.88 kilowatt-hours per person in 1968.
- How does South Korea rank for coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita?
- South Korea ranks 6th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is coal energy consumption per capita vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.3%. 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); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per person.