Fossil fuel consumption in South Korea
South Korea: Fossil fuel consumption was 2,929 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
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 8th out of 214 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.
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
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 6.7% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 2.4% (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel exports 7.7% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.3% (2024)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 53.9% (2023)
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 8th out of 214 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.