Fossil fuel consumption (fuel Energy Institute – Stati) in South Korea
South Korea: Fossil fuel consumption (fuel Energy Institute – Stati) was 2,929 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2,929 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
9th
of 220 countries
All-time high
3,135 terawatt-hours
in 2018
All-time low
72.72 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Fossil fuel consumption 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 terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fossil fuel consumption in South Korea is 2,929 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption in South Korea peaked at 3,135 terawatt-hours in 2018 and was at its lowest, 72.72 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
That places South Korea 9th out of 220 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.
Fossil fuel consumption (fuel Energy Institute – Stati) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 72.72 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 87.85 terawatt-hours | +20.8% |
| 1967 | 101.47 terawatt-hours | +15.5% |
| 1968 | 116.77 terawatt-hours | +15.1% |
| 1969 | 140.11 terawatt-hours | +20.0% |
| 1970 | 163.86 terawatt-hours | +17.0% |
| 1971 | 177.29 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 1972 | 183.81 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 228.54 terawatt-hours | +24.3% |
| 1974 | 235.93 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 260.62 terawatt-hours | +10.5% |
| 1976 | 291.84 terawatt-hours | +12.0% |
| 1977 | 337.33 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 1978 | 370.76 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1979 | 425.42 terawatt-hours | +14.7% |
| 1980 | 438.49 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 459.44 terawatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 459.76 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 484.82 terawatt-hours | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 525.34 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 567.24 terawatt-hours | +8.0% |
| 1986 | 610.94 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 1987 | 653.21 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 1988 | 747.04 terawatt-hours | +14.4% |
| 1989 | 799.06 terawatt-hours | +7.0% |
| 1990 | 914.82 terawatt-hours | +14.5% |
| 1991 | 1,055 terawatt-hours | +15.3% |
| 1992 | 1,207 terawatt-hours | +14.4% |
| 1993 | 1,332 terawatt-hours | +10.4% |
| 1994 | 1,459 terawatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 1,581 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1996 | 1,747 terawatt-hours | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 1,920 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 1,697 terawatt-hours | -11.6% |
| 1999 | 1,835 terawatt-hours | +8.1% |
| 2000 | 1,939 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 1,992 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 2,077 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 2,122 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 2,190 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 2,228 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 2,275 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 2,365 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 2,395 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 2,421 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 2,640 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 2,774 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 2,819 terawatt-hours | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 2,845 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 2,819 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2,845 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 2,964 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 3,028 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 3,135 terawatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 3,044 terawatt-hours | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 2,854 terawatt-hours | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 3,028 terawatt-hours | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 3,013 terawatt-hours | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 2,929 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 2,973 terawatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 2,929 terawatt-hours | -1.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2,929 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 117.38 terawatt-hours, 24.9× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2,929 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 56.44 terawatt-hours, 51.9× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 103.78 terawatt-hours | 72.72 terawatt-hours | 140.11 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 267.54 terawatt-hours | 163.86 terawatt-hours | 425.42 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 574.53 terawatt-hours | 438.49 terawatt-hours | 799.06 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,475 terawatt-hours | 914.82 terawatt-hours | 1,920 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,201 terawatt-hours | 1,939 terawatt-hours | 2,421 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,891 terawatt-hours | 2,640 terawatt-hours | 3,135 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,954 terawatt-hours | 2,854 terawatt-hours | 3,028 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- 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)
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuel consumption in South Korea?
- Fossil fuel consumption in South Korea was 2,929 terawatt-hours 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 recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3,135 terawatt-hours in 2018.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.72 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for fossil fuel consumption?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. 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. 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 terawatt-hours. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas.