Primary energy use by source in South Korea
South Korea: Primary energy use by source was 793.18 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
793.18 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
9th
of 79 countries
All-time high
1,058 terawatt-hours
in 2018
All-time low
57.59 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
South Korea recorded 793.18 terawatt-hours for primary energy use by source in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use by source in South Korea peaked at 1,058 terawatt-hours in 2018 and was at its lowest, 57.59 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
That places South Korea 9th out of 79 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.
Primary energy use by source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 57.59 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 65.21 terawatt-hours | +13.2% |
| 1967 | 62.21 terawatt-hours | -4.6% |
| 1968 | 58.73 terawatt-hours | -5.6% |
| 1969 | 61.34 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 65.47 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 1971 | 66.16 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 67.81 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 85.76 terawatt-hours | +26.5% |
| 1974 | 88.45 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 93.45 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 104.17 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 1977 | 113.72 terawatt-hours | +9.2% |
| 1978 | 115.07 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 137.73 terawatt-hours | +19.7% |
| 1980 | 153.5 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 177.29 terawatt-hours | +15.5% |
| 1982 | 179.69 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 191.79 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 231.05 terawatt-hours | +20.5% |
| 1985 | 256.12 terawatt-hours | +10.8% |
| 1986 | 271.33 terawatt-hours | +5.9% |
| 1987 | 274.92 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 292.64 terawatt-hours | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 284.85 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 293.27 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 300.84 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 291.14 terawatt-hours | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 319.41 terawatt-hours | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 332.49 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 343.24 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 398.4 terawatt-hours | +16.1% |
| 1997 | 422.18 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 435.1 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 460.11 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 514.1 terawatt-hours | +11.7% |
| 2001 | 547.13 terawatt-hours | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 586.01 terawatt-hours | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 608.54 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 641.99 terawatt-hours | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 652.59 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 674.45 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 708.93 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 788.67 terawatt-hours | +11.2% |
| 2009 | 819.01 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 916.17 terawatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 1,003 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 961.53 terawatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 960.95 terawatt-hours | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 990.38 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 994.67 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 968.08 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 1,027 terawatt-hours | +6.1% |
| 2018 | 1,058 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 997.12 terawatt-hours | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 882.85 terawatt-hours | -11.5% |
| 2021 | 909.11 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 873.81 terawatt-hours | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 844.99 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 792.41 terawatt-hours | -6.2% |
| 2025 | 793.18 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 793.18 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 20.03 terawatt-hours, 39.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 793.18 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 355.88 terawatt-hours, 2.2× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 61.02 terawatt-hours | 57.59 terawatt-hours | 65.21 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 93.78 terawatt-hours | 65.47 terawatt-hours | 137.73 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 231.32 terawatt-hours | 153.5 terawatt-hours | 292.64 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 359.62 terawatt-hours | 291.14 terawatt-hours | 460.11 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 654.14 terawatt-hours | 514.1 terawatt-hours | 819.01 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 987.65 terawatt-hours | 916.17 terawatt-hours | 1,058 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 849.39 terawatt-hours | 792.41 terawatt-hours | 909.11 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 793.18 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 1,058 terawatt-hours in 2018.
- What is the lowest primary energy use by source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.59 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for primary energy use by source?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use by source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. 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.