Electricity production by source in South Korea
South Korea: Electricity production by source was 5.5% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Electricity production by source in South Korea, 1990–2021
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
In 2021, electricity production by source in South Korea stood at 5.5%. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.7% on the previous year and up 888.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity production by source in South Korea peaked at 5.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -1.3%, in 1995.
South Korea ranks 106th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity production by source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | -1.3% | -142461.5% |
| 1992 | -1.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | -1.2% | -10.0% |
| 1994 | -1.0% | -13.1% |
| 1995 | -1.3% | +28.4% |
| 1996 | -1.1% | -13.6% |
| 1997 | -1.1% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | -0.8% | -27.5% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -104.7% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | +78.1% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | +20.5% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +38.5% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +68.3% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +35.3% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +39.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +22.8% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +20.2% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +24.5% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +28.8% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +43.7% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | +51.3% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | +17.8% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +20.3% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +26.9% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +19.6% |
| 2021 | 5.5% | +9.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 5.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.8%, 56% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 5.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.9%, 70% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electricity production by source 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -142461.5% | 0.0% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -1.0% | -1.3% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 0.5% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 2 |
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 electricity production by source in South Korea?
- Electricity production by source in South Korea was 5.5% in 2021, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity production by source recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest electricity production by source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.3% in 1995.
- How does South Korea rank for electricity production by source?
- South Korea ranks 106th out of 208 countries with data for 2021.
- Is electricity production by source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 888.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity production by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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