Fossil fuel consumption per person in South Korea
South Korea: Fossil fuel consumption per person was 56,682 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Fossil fuel consumption per person 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
South Korea recorded 56,682 kilowatt-hours per person for fossil fuel consumption per person in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption per person in South Korea peaked at 60,698 kilowatt-hours per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 2,483 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1965.
That places South Korea 17th out of 213 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 | 3,380 kilowatt-hours per person | 2,483 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,399 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 7,474 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,035 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,281 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 13,974 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,496 kilowatt-hours per person | 18,359 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 32,462 kilowatt-hours per person | 20,753 kilowatt-hours per person | 41,788 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 46,076 kilowatt-hours per person | 41,470 kilowatt-hours per person | 49,860 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 57,191 kilowatt-hours per person | 54,132 kilowatt-hours per person | 60,698 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 57,062 kilowatt-hours per person | 55,042 kilowatt-hours per person | 58,401 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 14 Canada 65,136 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 15 United States 62,421 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 16 Faroe Islands 60,376 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 18 Turkmenistan 56,143 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 19 Russia 54,045 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 20 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 53,392 kilowatt-hours per person compare
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 per person in South Korea?
- Fossil fuel consumption per person in South Korea was 56,682 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 recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 60,698 kilowatt-hours per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption per person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,483 kilowatt-hours per person in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for fossil fuel consumption per person?
- South Korea ranks 17th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption per person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas.