emissions of air pollutants in South Korea
South Korea: emissions of air pollutants was 793,040 tonnes in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
793,040 tonnes
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
67th
of 220 countries
All-time high
2.48 million tonnes
in 1949
All-time low
604,805 tonnes
in 1969
Years of data
273
1750–2022
emissions of air pollutants 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
South Korea recorded 793,040 tonnes for emissions of air pollutants in 2022.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants in South Korea peaked at 2.48 million tonnes in 1949 and was at its lowest, 604,805 tonnes, in 1969.
South Korea ranks 67th of 220 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 273 years of available data.
emissions of air pollutants in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1750 | 1.13 million tonnes | — |
| 1751 | 1.13 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1752 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1753 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1754 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1755 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1756 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1757 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1758 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1759 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1760 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1761 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1762 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1763 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1764 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1765 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1766 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1767 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1768 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1769 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1770 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1771 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1772 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1773 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1774 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1775 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1776 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1777 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1778 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1779 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1780 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1781 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1782 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1783 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1784 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1785 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1786 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1787 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1788 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1789 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1790 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1791 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1792 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1793 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1794 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1795 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1797 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1798 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1800 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 1.17 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1822 | 1.17 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1823 | 1.17 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1824 | 1.16 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1825 | 1.16 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1826 | 1.15 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1827 | 1.15 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1828 | 1.14 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1829 | 1.14 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1830 | 1.14 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1831 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1832 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1833 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1834 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1835 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1836 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1837 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1838 | 1.14 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1839 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1840 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1841 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1842 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1843 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1844 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1845 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1846 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1847 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1848 | 1.15 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1849 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1850 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1851 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1852 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1853 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1854 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1856 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1857 | 1.16 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1858 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1859 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1860 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1861 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1862 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1863 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1864 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1865 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1866 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1867 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1868 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1869 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1870 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1871 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1872 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1873 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1874 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1875 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1876 | 1.18 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1877 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1878 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1879 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1880 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1881 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1882 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1883 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1884 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1885 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1886 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1887 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1888 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1889 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1890 | 1.19 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1891 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1892 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1893 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1894 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1895 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1896 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1897 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1898 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1899 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1900 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1901 | 1.20 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1902 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1903 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1904 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1905 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1906 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1907 | 1.22 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1908 | 1.22 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1909 | 1.22 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1910 | 1.22 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1911 | 1.24 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1912 | 1.25 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1913 | 1.26 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1914 | 1.29 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1915 | 1.31 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1916 | 1.33 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1917 | 1.35 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1918 | 1.37 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1919 | 1.40 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1920 | 1.42 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1921 | 1.45 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1922 | 1.48 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1923 | 1.51 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1924 | 1.54 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1925 | 1.57 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1926 | 1.59 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1927 | 1.62 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1928 | 1.64 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1929 | 1.67 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1930 | 1.69 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1931 | 1.72 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1932 | 1.75 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1933 | 1.78 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1934 | 1.82 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1935 | 1.85 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1936 | 1.87 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1937 | 1.89 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1938 | 1.92 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1939 | 1.95 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1940 | 1.98 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1941 | 2.01 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1942 | 2.04 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1943 | 2.08 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1944 | 2.11 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1945 | 2.23 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1946 | 2.36 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1947 | 2.42 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1948 | 2.45 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1949 | 2.48 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1950 | 1.77 million tonnes | -28.6% |
| 1951 | 1.69 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 1952 | 1.60 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 1953 | 1.53 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1954 | 1.45 million tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1955 | 1.38 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1956 | 1.32 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1957 | 1.26 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1958 | 1.19 million tonnes | -5.3% |
| 1959 | 1.13 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1960 | 1.07 million tonnes | -6.0% |
| 1961 | 991,507 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1962 | 914,755 tonnes | -7.7% |
| 1963 | 836,724 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1964 | 726,229 tonnes | -13.2% |
| 1965 | 613,486 tonnes | -15.5% |
| 1966 | 667,862 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1967 | 664,086 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 621,000 tonnes | -6.5% |
| 1969 | 604,805 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 607,580 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 624,044 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 605,429 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 673,483 tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1974 | 657,457 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 641,025 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 699,990 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1977 | 792,418 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1978 | 851,192 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 980,096 tonnes | +15.1% |
| 1980 | 1.01 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 1.01 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 988,722 tonnes | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.03 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 1.12 million tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1985 | 1.18 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 1.22 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 1.26 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 1.35 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1989 | 1.38 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 1.47 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 1.40 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 1.39 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.39 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 1.37 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.35 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 1.35 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.35 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 1.23 million tonnes | -8.8% |
| 1999 | 1.23 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 1.24 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 1.17 million tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 1.12 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 1.10 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.11 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 1.05 million tonnes | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 1.10 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 1.05 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 975,969 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 1.06 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 1.06 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.04 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.03 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 1.03 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 978,621 tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 958,587 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 927,054 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 921,874 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 916,228 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 863,472 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 831,082 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 817,014 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 793,040 tonnes | -2.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 793,040 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 150,374 tonnes, 5.3× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 793,040 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 179,591 tonnes, 4.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where emissions of air pollutants 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -28.6% | 2.48 million tonnes | 1.77 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.13 million tonnes | 1.14 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1760s | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1770s | 1.15 million tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1780s | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1790s | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1800s | 1.17 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1810s | 1.18 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 1.18 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1820s | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.18 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1830s | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.14 million tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1840s | 1.15 million tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.17 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 1.18 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.18 million tonnes | 1.18 million tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.19 million tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.20 million tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 1.20 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.21 million tonnes | 1.20 million tonnes | 1.22 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.30 million tonnes | 1.22 million tonnes | 1.40 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.55 million tonnes | 1.42 million tonnes | 1.67 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.82 million tonnes | 1.69 million tonnes | 1.95 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.22 million tonnes | 1.98 million tonnes | 2.48 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.43 million tonnes | 1.13 million tonnes | 1.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 770,670 tonnes | 604,805 tonnes | 1.07 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 713,271 tonnes | 605,429 tonnes | 980,096 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.15 million tonnes | 988,722 tonnes | 1.38 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.35 million tonnes | 1.23 million tonnes | 1.47 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.10 million tonnes | 975,969 tonnes | 1.24 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 971,793 tonnes | 863,472 tonnes | 1.06 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 813,712 tonnes | 793,040 tonnes | 831,082 tonnes | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 64 Turkmenistan 815,099 tonnes compare
- 65 Guinea 802,028 tonnes compare
- 66 Tajikistan 794,717 tonnes compare
- 68 United Arab Emirates 779,663 tonnes compare
- 69 Czechia 778,281 tonnes compare
- 70 Benin 744,207 tonnes compare
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 emissions of air pollutants in South Korea?
- Emissions of air pollutants in South Korea was 793,040 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 emissions of air pollutants recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.48 million tonnes in 1949.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 604,805 tonnes in 1969.
- How does South Korea rank for emissions of air pollutants?
- South Korea ranks 67th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 emissions of air pollutants. 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
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a pollutant produced from the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels such as oil, gas, wood, and coal. CO is a harmful gas that contributes to both outdoor and indoor air pollution.