Share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea

South Korea: Share of electricity generation from hydropower was 0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.6%
Change on year
down 11.5%
World rank
143rd
of 213 countries
All-time high
5.1%
in 1985
All-time low
0.4%
in 2015
Years of data
41
1985–2025

Share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea, 1985–2025

0123451985200520251985: 5.1 %1986: 4.5 %1987: 4.9 %1988: 2.1 %1989: 2.9 %1990: 4 %1991: 2.6 %1992: 2.1 %1993: 2.6 %1994: 1.3 %1995: 1.4 %1996: 1.1 %1997: 1.1 %1998: 1.8 %1999: 1.6 %2000: 1.4 %2001: 0.752 %2002: 0.973 %2003: 1.4 %2004: 1.2 %2005: 0.942 %2006: 0.861 %2007: 0.853 %2008: 0.694 %2009: 0.621 %2010: 0.743 %2011: 0.888 %2012: 0.747 %2013: 0.799 %2014: 0.509 %2015: 0.392 %2016: 0.508 %2017: 0.487 %2018: 0.567 %2019: 0.475 %2020: 0.672 %2021: 0.502 %2022: 0.569 %2023: 0.602 %2024: 0.688 %2025: 0.608 %

Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea is 0.6%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 11.5% on the previous year and up 55.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea peaked at 5.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2015.

That places South Korea 143rd out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 3.9% 2.1% 5.1% 5
1990s 2.0% 1.1% 4.0% 10
2000s 1.0% 0.6% 1.4% 10
2010s 0.6% 0.4% 0.9% 10
2020s 0.6% 0.5% 0.7% 6

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 140 Bangladesh 0.6% compare
  2. 141 Mongolia 0.6% compare
  3. 142 Cuba 0.6% compare
  4. 144 Belgium 0.6% compare
  5. 146 Hungary 0.6% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More energy & mining data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea?
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in South Korea was 0.6% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1985.
What is the lowest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2015.
How does South Korea rank for share of electricity generation from hydropower?
South Korea ranks 143rd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
Is share of electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 55.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Share of electricity generation from hydropower
Unit
%
Source
Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
215 places, 6,588 data points, 1920–2025
Last refreshed

Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.