Primary energy use by source in South Korea
South Korea: Primary energy use by source was 3.67 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.67 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
40th
of 80 countries
All-time high
3.74 terawatt-hours
in 2024
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy use by source in South Korea, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy use by source in South Korea is 3.67 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and up 173.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use by source in South Korea peaked at 3.74 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
South Korea ranks 40th of 80 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use by source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1968 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1969 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1971 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1973 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1974 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1975 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1976 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1977 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1978 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1979 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1982 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1983 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1985 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1987 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1988 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1989 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1992 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1993 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1994 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0 terawatt-hours | -100.0% |
| 1996 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1997 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1998 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 1999 | 0.0058 terawatt-hours | +191.9% |
| 2000 | 0.0167 terawatt-hours | +185.8% |
| 2001 | 0.0126 terawatt-hours | -24.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0149 terawatt-hours | +18.2% |
| 2003 | 0.0249 terawatt-hours | +67.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0474 terawatt-hours | +90.8% |
| 2005 | 0.1299 terawatt-hours | +173.8% |
| 2006 | 0.2389 terawatt-hours | +83.9% |
| 2007 | 0.3756 terawatt-hours | +57.2% |
| 2008 | 0.436 terawatt-hours | +16.1% |
| 2009 | 0.6854 terawatt-hours | +57.2% |
| 2010 | 0.817 terawatt-hours | +19.2% |
| 2011 | 0.8629 terawatt-hours | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 0.9128 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 1.15 terawatt-hours | +25.8% |
| 2014 | 1.15 terawatt-hours | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.34 terawatt-hours | +17.2% |
| 2016 | 1.68 terawatt-hours | +25.4% |
| 2017 | 2.17 terawatt-hours | +28.9% |
| 2018 | 2.46 terawatt-hours | +13.6% |
| 2019 | 2.68 terawatt-hours | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 3.15 terawatt-hours | +17.6% |
| 2021 | 3.18 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 3.37 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 3.39 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 3.74 terawatt-hours | +10.2% |
| 2025 | 3.67 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 3.67 terawatt-hours is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.89 terawatt-hours, 94% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 3.67 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.61 terawatt-hours, 1.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use by source 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +191.9% | 0.002 terawatt-hours | 0.0058 terawatt-hours |
| 2000 | +185.8% | 0.0058 terawatt-hours | 0.0167 terawatt-hours |
| 2005 | +173.8% | 0.0474 terawatt-hours | 0.1299 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0011 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0.0058 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1982 terawatt-hours | 0.0126 terawatt-hours | 0.6854 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.52 terawatt-hours | 0.817 terawatt-hours | 2.68 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.42 terawatt-hours | 3.15 terawatt-hours | 3.74 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- 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)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use by source in South Korea?
- Primary energy use by source in South Korea was 3.67 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use by source recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.74 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary energy use by source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for primary energy use by source?
- South Korea ranks 40th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use by source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 173.1%. 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); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use by source. 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 of total energy supply.