Share of electricity production by source in South Korea
South Korea: Share of electricity production by source was 61.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
61.2%
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
113th
of 208 countries
All-time high
72.5%
in 2018
All-time low
45.7%
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Share of electricity production by source in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 61.2% for share of electricity production by source in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity production by source in South Korea peaked at 72.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 45.7%, in 1990.
South Korea ranks 113th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Share of electricity production by source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.7% | — |
| 1991 | 48.8% | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 54.3% | +11.3% |
| 1993 | 57.4% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 63.2% | +10.2% |
| 1995 | 61.1% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 61.8% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 63.6% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 56.2% | -11.6% |
| 1999 | 54.7% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 60.3% | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 61.9% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 61.9% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 60.5% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 63.0% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 60.6% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 61.9% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 63.3% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 62.7% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 66.7% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 68.4% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 69.7% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 71.6% | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 68.2% | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 67.1% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 67.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 69.8% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 72.5% | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 69.3% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 66.0% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 67.3% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 61.2% | -3.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 61.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 62.1%, 99% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 61.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 80.4%, 76% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.7% | 45.7% | 63.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.0% | 60.3% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.1% | 66.7% | 72.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.4% | 61.2% | 67.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 110 Bolivia 63.4% compare
- 111 Russia 62.2% compare
- 112 Faroe Islands 61.9% compare
- 114 Papua New Guinea 60.0% compare
- 115 Pakistan 59.7% compare
- 116 United States 59.3% compare
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 share of electricity production by source in South Korea?
- Share of electricity production by source in South Korea was 61.2% in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity production by source recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of electricity production by source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.7% in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for share of electricity production by source?
- South Korea ranks 113th out of 208 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of electricity production by source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity production by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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