Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea
South Korea: Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel was 12,185 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
12,185 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
25th
of 219 countries
All-time high
12,254 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2024
All-time low
0 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1980
Years of data
46
1980–2025
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea, 1980–2025
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
The most recent figure for fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea is 12,185 kilowatt-hours per person, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 36.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea peaked at 12,254 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1980.
South Korea ranks 25th of 219 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1981 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1982 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1983 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1984 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1985 | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1986 | 17.06 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1987 | 520.36 kilowatt-hours per person | +2950.0% |
| 1988 | 662.8 kilowatt-hours per person | +27.4% |
| 1989 | 632.47 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 717.8 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.5% |
| 1991 | 824.85 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.9% |
| 1992 | 1,074 kilowatt-hours per person | +30.2% |
| 1993 | 1,334 kilowatt-hours per person | +24.3% |
| 1994 | 1,767 kilowatt-hours per person | +32.4% |
| 1995 | 2,126 kilowatt-hours per person | +20.3% |
| 1996 | 2,792 kilowatt-hours per person | +31.3% |
| 1997 | 3,370 kilowatt-hours per person | +20.7% |
| 1998 | 3,133 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 3,793 kilowatt-hours per person | +21.1% |
| 2000 | 4,235 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.7% |
| 2001 | 4,625 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.2% |
| 2002 | 5,112 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 5,346 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 6,234 kilowatt-hours per person | +16.6% |
| 2005 | 6,645 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 7,134 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 7,553 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 7,745 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 7,305 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 9,223 kilowatt-hours per person | +26.3% |
| 2011 | 9,863 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.9% |
| 2012 | 10,567 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 10,960 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 9,880 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 8,952 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.4% |
| 2016 | 9,285 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 9,643 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 11,172 kilowatt-hours per person | +15.9% |
| 2019 | 10,807 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 10,912 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 11,948 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.5% |
| 2022 | 11,980 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 11,480 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 12,254 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.7% |
| 2025 | 12,185 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 12,185 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,144 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.4× the median. (76 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +2950.0% | 17.06 kilowatt-hours per person | 520.36 kilowatt-hours per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 183.27 kilowatt-hours per person | 0 kilowatt-hours per person | 662.8 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,093 kilowatt-hours per person | 717.8 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,793 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 6,193 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,235 kilowatt-hours per person | 7,745 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 10,035 kilowatt-hours per person | 8,952 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,172 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,793 kilowatt-hours per person | 10,912 kilowatt-hours per person | 12,254 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 22 Netherlands 14,209 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 23 Taiwan 13,542 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 24 Malaysia 12,828 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 26 Uzbekistan 12,004 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 27 Azerbaijan 11,832 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 28 Kazakhstan 11,461 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 fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea?
- Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in South Korea was 12,185 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 fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 12,254 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilowatt-hours per person in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel?
- South Korea ranks 25th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.1%. 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 Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.