Primary energy use by source in South Korea
South Korea: Primary energy use by source was 793.18 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
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 8th out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 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
- 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 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 8th out of 78 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.