Fossil fuels in South Korea
South Korea: Fossil fuels was 2.3 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.3
Change on year
down 22.7%
World rank
55th
of 220 countries
All-time high
148.23
in 1979
All-time low
0
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Fossil fuels in South Korea, 1900–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, fossil fuels in South Korea stood at 2.3.
That represents a change of down 22.7% on the previous year and down 75.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuels in South Korea peaked at 148.23 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
That places South Korea 55th out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuels in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 2.04 | — |
| 1947 | 3.77 | +84.5% |
| 1948 | 7.07 | +87.5% |
| 1949 | 9.19 | +30.1% |
| 1950 | 5.49 | -40.2% |
| 1951 | 1.33 | -75.7% |
| 1952 | 4.71 | +253.0% |
| 1953 | 7.06 | +49.9% |
| 1954 | 7.24 | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 10.65 | +47.1% |
| 1956 | 14.78 | +38.8% |
| 1957 | 19.87 | +34.5% |
| 1958 | 21.74 | +9.4% |
| 1959 | 33.67 | +54.8% |
| 1960 | 43.55 | +29.4% |
| 1961 | 47.9 | +10.0% |
| 1962 | 60.6 | +26.5% |
| 1963 | 72.11 | +19.0% |
| 1964 | 78.44 | +8.8% |
| 1965 | 83.52 | +6.5% |
| 1966 | 94.61 | +13.3% |
| 1967 | 101.27 | +7.0% |
| 1968 | 83.38 | -17.7% |
| 1969 | 83.63 | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 100.9 | +20.6% |
| 1971 | 104.08 | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 100.97 | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 110.48 | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 10.28 | -90.7% |
| 1975 | 143.22 | +1293.0% |
| 1976 | 133.73 | -6.6% |
| 1977 | 140.58 | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 146.98 | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 148.23 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 141.7 | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 101.65 | -28.3% |
| 1982 | 102.94 | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 101.63 | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 109.36 | +7.6% |
| 1985 | 115.36 | +5.5% |
| 1986 | 124.11 | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 124.22 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 124.32 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 106.36 | -14.4% |
| 1990 | 90.11 | -15.3% |
| 1991 | 78.81 | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 62.64 | -20.5% |
| 1993 | 49.23 | -21.4% |
| 1994 | 38.72 | -21.4% |
| 1995 | 29.94 | -22.7% |
| 1996 | 25.91 | -13.4% |
| 1997 | 23.61 | -8.9% |
| 1998 | 22.82 | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 21.96 | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 21.72 | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 19.98 | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 17.36 | -13.1% |
| 2003 | 17.26 | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 16.7 | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 14.82 | -11.3% |
| 2006 | 14.78 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 15.61 | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 15 | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 13.62 | -9.2% |
| 2010 | 11.27 | -17.3% |
| 2011 | 11.27 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10.96 | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 9.5 | -13.3% |
| 2014 | 9.15 | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 9.23 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 9.03 | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 8.17 | -9.6% |
| 2018 | 6.6 | -19.2% |
| 2019 | 5.96 | -9.7% |
| 2020 | 5.61 | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 4.94 | -11.9% |
| 2022 | 4.49 | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 3.54 | -21.2% |
| 2024 | 2.97 | -15.9% |
| 2025 | 2.3 | -22.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fossil fuels 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +1293.0% | 10.28 | 143.22 |
| 1952 | +253.0% | 1.33 | 4.71 |
| 1974 | -90.7% | 110.48 | 10.28 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.21 | 0 | 9.19 | 10 |
| 1950s | 12.65 | 1.33 | 33.67 | 10 |
| 1960s | 74.9 | 43.55 | 101.27 | 10 |
| 1970s | 113.95 | 10.28 | 148.23 | 10 |
| 1980s | 115.16 | 101.63 | 141.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.37 | 21.96 | 90.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.68 | 13.62 | 21.72 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.11 | 5.96 | 11.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.98 | 2.3 | 5.61 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 22.2% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 7.2% (2025)
- Fuel exports 6.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 2.6% (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuels in South Korea?
- Fossil fuels in South Korea was 2.3 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuels recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 148.23 in 1979.
- What is the lowest fossil fuels recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does South Korea rank for fossil fuels?
- South Korea ranks 55th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuels rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).