Energy use per person vs. GDP per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Energy use per person vs. GDP per capita was 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
69,745 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
16th
of 218 countries
All-time high
70,773 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2024
All-time low
2,507 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Energy use per person vs. GDP per capita in South Korea, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
In 2025, energy use per person vs. gdp per capita in South Korea stood at 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy use per person vs. gdp per capita in South Korea peaked at 70,773 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2,507 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1965.
South Korea ranks 16th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Energy use per person vs. GDP per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 2,507 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 2,977 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.7% |
| 1967 | 3,358 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.8% |
| 1968 | 3,775 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.4% |
| 1969 | 4,443 kilowatt-hours per person | +17.7% |
| 1970 | 5,073 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.2% |
| 1971 | 5,373 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.9% |
| 1972 | 5,457 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 6,637 kilowatt-hours per person | +21.6% |
| 1974 | 6,740 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 7,311 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.5% |
| 1976 | 8,071 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.4% |
| 1977 | 9,199 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.0% |
| 1978 | 10,182 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.7% |
| 1979 | 11,595 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.9% |
| 1980 | 11,823 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 12,169 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 12,016 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 12,857 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 13,869 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 15,096 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.8% |
| 1986 | 16,775 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.1% |
| 1987 | 18,343 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.3% |
| 1988 | 20,282 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.6% |
| 1989 | 21,724 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 24,495 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.8% |
| 1991 | 27,655 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.9% |
| 1992 | 30,940 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.9% |
| 1993 | 33,704 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.9% |
| 1994 | 36,308 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.7% |
| 1995 | 39,408 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 43,274 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 46,939 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 42,687 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.1% |
| 1999 | 46,271 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.4% |
| 2000 | 48,622 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 49,626 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 51,624 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 53,052 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 54,334 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 55,948 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 56,892 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 58,212 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 59,159 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 59,263 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 63,584 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 66,283 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 66,348 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 65,631 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 65,765 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 66,289 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 68,140 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 68,494 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 69,690 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 68,649 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 65,886 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 69,394 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 70,406 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 69,196 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 70,773 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 34,643 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.0× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12,847 kilowatt-hours per person, 5.4× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,412 kilowatt-hours per person | 2,507 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,443 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 7,564 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,073 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,595 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 15,495 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,823 kilowatt-hours per person | 21,724 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,168 kilowatt-hours per person | 24,495 kilowatt-hours per person | 46,939 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 54,673 kilowatt-hours per person | 48,622 kilowatt-hours per person | 59,263 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 66,887 kilowatt-hours per person | 63,584 kilowatt-hours per person | 69,690 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 69,233 kilowatt-hours per person | 65,886 kilowatt-hours per person | 70,773 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 13 Oman 87,463 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 14 Canada 83,452 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 15 United States 75,051 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 17 Malta 67,321 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 18 Faroe Islands 64,642 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 19 USSR 60,451 kilowatt-hours per person compare
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 energy use per person vs. gdp per capita in South Korea?
- Energy use per person vs. gdp per capita in South Korea was 69,745 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy use per person vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 70,773 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest energy use per person vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,507 kilowatt-hours per person in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for energy use per person vs. gdp per capita?
- South Korea ranks 16th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is energy use per person vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. 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) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy use per person vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per person.