Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea
South Korea: Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy was -1.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea is -1.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 133.9% on the previous year and down 130.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea peaked at 450.0% in 1978 and was at its lowest, -14.5%, in 1970.
That places South Korea 64th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 38.7% | — |
| 1967 | -3.3% | -108.4% |
| 1968 | -2.5% | -23.8% |
| 1969 | 53.7% | -2260.4% |
| 1970 | -14.5% | -127.1% |
| 1971 | 8.1% | -155.9% |
| 1972 | 3.6% | -55.2% |
| 1973 | -6.1% | -267.7% |
| 1974 | 48.4% | -891.6% |
| 1975 | -11.7% | -124.2% |
| 1976 | 6.3% | -153.7% |
| 1977 | -10.0% | -259.4% |
| 1978 | 450.0% | -4587.4% |
| 1979 | 33.9% | -92.5% |
| 1980 | 5.1% | -84.8% |
| 1981 | -8.7% | -268.4% |
| 1982 | 15.7% | -280.9% |
| 1983 | 123.8% | +689.5% |
| 1984 | 28.1% | -77.3% |
| 1985 | 42.9% | +52.9% |
| 1986 | 64.9% | +51.1% |
| 1987 | 38.5% | -40.7% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | -99.1% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | +5556.1% |
| 1990 | 12.6% | -32.3% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | -55.8% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -97.1% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | +2060.5% |
| 1994 | -0.2% | -105.3% |
| 1995 | 14.7% | -8217.0% |
| 1996 | 10.2% | -31.0% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -61.2% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | +324.0% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | -12.4% |
| 2000 | 5.6% | -61.9% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | -57.5% |
| 2002 | 6.5% | +174.1% |
| 2003 | 9.2% | +41.9% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | -92.0% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | +1527.9% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -88.2% |
| 2007 | -3.6% | -352.8% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -264.7% |
| 2009 | -1.9% | -132.1% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -151.9% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | +375.3% |
| 2012 | -2.1% | -145.3% |
| 2013 | -6.5% | +210.0% |
| 2014 | 14.2% | -318.3% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | -57.4% |
| 2016 | -0.6% | -110.1% |
| 2017 | -6.3% | +920.5% |
| 2018 | -6.8% | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 9.9% | -245.5% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | -86.8% |
| 2022 | 11.1% | +723.6% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -73.0% |
| 2024 | 5.5% | +82.1% |
| 2025 | -1.8% | -133.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -1.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.3%. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -1.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.7%. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +8217.0% | -0.2% | 14.7% |
| 1989 | +5556.1% | 0.3% | 18.6% |
| 1978 | +4587.4% | -10.0% | 450.0% |
| 1969 | +2260.4% | -2.5% | 53.7% |
| 1993 | +2060.5% | 0.2% | 3.4% |
| 2005 | +1527.9% | 0.7% | 12.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.7% | -3.3% | 53.7% | 4 |
| 1970s | 50.8% | -14.5% | 450.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.9% | -8.7% | 123.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.2% | -0.2% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.8% | -3.6% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | -6.8% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | -1.8% | 11.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More climate change data for South Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea?
- Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Korea was -1.8% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 450.0% in 1978.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -14.5% in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy?
- South Korea ranks 64th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 130.5%. 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) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual percentage change in primary energy from low-carbon energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in total energy supply relative to the previous year.