Primary energy use in South Korea
South Korea: Primary energy use was 3,604 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Primary energy use in South Korea, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 3,604 terawatt-hours for primary energy use in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in South Korea peaked at 3,660 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 73.43 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
South Korea ranks 7th of 218 countries on this measure, 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 | 104.78 terawatt-hours | 73.43 terawatt-hours | 141.54 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 270.83 terawatt-hours | 165.08 terawatt-hours | 437.27 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 638.54 terawatt-hours | 450.94 terawatt-hours | 945.55 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,689 terawatt-hours | 1,080 terawatt-hours | 2,156 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,611 terawatt-hours | 2,274 terawatt-hours | 2,877 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,381 terawatt-hours | 3,101 terawatt-hours | 3,599 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,584 terawatt-hours | 3,417 terawatt-hours | 3,660 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 primary energy use in South Korea?
- Primary energy use in South Korea was 3,604 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3,660 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.43 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for primary energy use?
- South Korea ranks 7th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. 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); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use. 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.