What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in South Korea?

The highest recorded value was 1.46 million tonnes in 1992.

What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in South Korea?

The lowest recorded value was 1,799 tonnes in 1750.

How does South Korea rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?

South Korea ranks 32nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in South Korea?

Over the last ten years it is down 53.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Korea data come from?

The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea
Creator: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Korea: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 360,360 tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

360,360 tonnes

Change on year

up 5.4%

World rank

32nd

of 220 countries

All-time high

1.46 million tonnes

in 1992

All-time low

1,799 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

273

1750–2022

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea, 1750–2022

Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

In 2022, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea stood at 360,360 tonnes.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and down 53.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea peaked at 1.46 million tonnes in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1,799 tonnes, in 1750.

That places South Korea 32nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1750s	1,804 tonnes	1,799 tonnes	1,810 tonnes	10
1760s	1,816 tonnes	1,811 tonnes	1,821 tonnes	10
1770s	1,827 tonnes	1,822 tonnes	1,832 tonnes	10
1780s	1,838 tonnes	1,833 tonnes	1,842 tonnes	10
1790s	1,847 tonnes	1,843 tonnes	1,852 tonnes	10
1800s	1,856 tonnes	1,852 tonnes	1,860 tonnes	10
1810s	1,864 tonnes	1,861 tonnes	1,868 tonnes	10
1820s	1,838 tonnes	1,808 tonnes	1,868 tonnes	10
1830s	1,809 tonnes	1,801 tonnes	1,817 tonnes	10
1840s	1,826 tonnes	1,819 tonnes	1,833 tonnes	10
1850s	1,843 tonnes	1,834 tonnes	1,851 tonnes	10
1860s	1,861 tonnes	1,853 tonnes	1,870 tonnes	10
1870s	1,877 tonnes	1,872 tonnes	1,882 tonnes	10
1880s	1,888 tonnes	1,883 tonnes	1,893 tonnes	10
1890s	1,900 tonnes	1,894 tonnes	1,905 tonnes	10
1900s	1,977 tonnes	1,906 tonnes	2,419 tonnes	10
1910s	3,258 tonnes	2,163 tonnes	4,132 tonnes	10
1920s	7,123 tonnes	4,744 tonnes	10,534 tonnes	10
1930s	19,717 tonnes	10,106 tonnes	38,069 tonnes	10
1940s	39,660 tonnes	3,704 tonnes	80,034 tonnes	10
1950s	63,593 tonnes	26,875 tonnes	113,035 tonnes	10
1960s	240,508 tonnes	123,411 tonnes	427,913 tonnes	10
1970s	912,148 tonnes	553,444 tonnes	1.35 million tonnes	10
1980s	1.22 million tonnes	1.08 million tonnes	1.36 million tonnes	10
1990s	1.31 million tonnes	1.04 million tonnes	1.46 million tonnes	10
2000s	948,366 tonnes	762,644 tonnes	1.03 million tonnes	10
2010s	763,055 tonnes	633,770 tonnes	842,823 tonnes	10
2020s	346,917 tonnes	338,586 tonnes	360,360 tonnes	3

Countries ranked near South Korea

29 Kuwait 448,963 tonnes compare
30 Chile 410,897 tonnes compare
31 Poland 376,349 tonnes compare
33 Germany 281,794 tonnes compare
34 Cuba 268,354 tonnes compare
35 Laos 256,495 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

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)

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in South Korea was 360,360 tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in South Korea?: The highest recorded value was 1.46 million tonnes in 1992.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in South Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 1,799 tonnes in 1750.
How does South Korea rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: South Korea ranks 32nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in South Korea?: Over the last ten years it is down 53.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?: The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions
Unit: tonnes
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is an air pollutant formed from the burning of fuels that contain sulfur, such as coal. SO₂ is one of the main chemicals that forms acid rain.