Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in South Korea
South Korea: Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) was 22.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Fuel imports in South Korea, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, fuel imports in South Korea stood at 22.2%.
That represents a change of down 13.6% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in South Korea peaked at 35.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1968.
That places South Korea 33rd out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 8.0% | — |
| 1963 | 6.1% | -23.5% |
| 1964 | 7.0% | +14.8% |
| 1965 | 6.9% | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 5.8% | -17.1% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | +7.3% |
| 1968 | 5.1% | -16.8% |
| 1969 | 6.1% | +18.2% |
| 1970 | 6.9% | +12.7% |
| 1971 | 7.9% | +15.4% |
| 1972 | 8.7% | +9.7% |
| 1973 | 7.4% | -15.1% |
| 1974 | 15.4% | +109.1% |
| 1975 | 19.1% | +23.8% |
| 1976 | 19.9% | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 20.2% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 16.4% | -18.7% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | +13.6% |
| 1980 | 29.9% | +60.4% |
| 1981 | 29.8% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 31.3% | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 26.6% | -15.1% |
| 1984 | 23.8% | -10.6% |
| 1985 | 23.6% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 15.9% | -32.4% |
| 1987 | 14.6% | -8.1% |
| 1988 | 11.6% | -21.1% |
| 1989 | 12.4% | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 15.8% | +27.2% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 17.9% | +14.5% |
| 1993 | 18.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 15.1% | -16.2% |
| 1995 | 14.1% | -6.6% |
| 1996 | 16.2% | +14.8% |
| 1997 | 18.9% | +17.2% |
| 1998 | 19.5% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 19.1% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 23.7% | +24.2% |
| 2001 | 24.1% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | -11.7% |
| 2003 | 21.6% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 22.4% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 25.8% | +15.4% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 27.0% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 32.7% | +21.1% |
| 2009 | 28.4% | -13.3% |
| 2010 | 28.8% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 33.1% | +14.9% |
| 2012 | 35.8% | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 35.0% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 33.4% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 23.7% | -29.1% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | -15.0% |
| 2017 | 23.0% | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 27.5% | +19.5% |
| 2019 | 25.3% | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | -26.8% |
| 2021 | 22.4% | +20.8% |
| 2022 | 29.9% | +33.7% |
| 2023 | 26.7% | -10.8% |
| 2024 | 25.7% | -3.8% |
| 2025 | 22.2% | -13.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 22.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.0%, 2.5× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 22.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 17.0%, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.4% | 5.1% | 8.0% | 8 |
| 1970s | 14.0% | 6.9% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.9% | 11.6% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.0% | 14.1% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.5% | 21.3% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.6% | 20.1% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.2% | 18.5% | 29.9% | 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)
- Ores and metals imports 7.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in South Korea?
- Fuel imports in South Korea was 22.2% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 35.8% in 2012.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1968.
- How does South Korea rank for fuel imports?
- South Korea ranks 33rd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.