CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea
South Korea: CO₂ emissions embedded in trade was 119.69 million tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea is 119.69 million tonnes, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 240.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea peaked at 120.36 million tonnes in 2007 and was at its lowest, -10.57 million tonnes, in 1998.
That places South Korea 7th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 80.47 million tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 78.23 million tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 120.33 million tonnes | +53.8% |
| 1993 | 90.88 million tonnes | -24.5% |
| 1994 | 84.48 million tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 82.69 million tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 82.16 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 54.62 million tonnes | -33.5% |
| 1998 | -10.57 million tonnes | -119.3% |
| 1999 | 25.49 million tonnes | -341.1% |
| 2000 | 62.24 million tonnes | +144.2% |
| 2001 | 48.29 million tonnes | -22.4% |
| 2002 | 64.65 million tonnes | +33.9% |
| 2003 | 64.03 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 71.63 million tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2005 | 95.69 million tonnes | +33.6% |
| 2006 | 108.89 million tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2007 | 120.36 million tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2008 | 111.77 million tonnes | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 36.07 million tonnes | -67.7% |
| 2010 | 60.24 million tonnes | +67.0% |
| 2011 | 59.68 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 37.09 million tonnes | -37.9% |
| 2013 | 35.17 million tonnes | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 65.34 million tonnes | +85.8% |
| 2015 | 42.10 million tonnes | -35.6% |
| 2016 | 31.50 million tonnes | -25.2% |
| 2017 | 47.28 million tonnes | +50.1% |
| 2018 | 79.06 million tonnes | +67.2% |
| 2019 | 89.44 million tonnes | +13.1% |
| 2020 | 84.40 million tonnes | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 101.52 million tonnes | +20.3% |
| 2022 | 115.79 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 2023 | 119.69 million tonnes | +3.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 119.69 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.84 million tonnes, 12.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 119.69 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.02 million tonnes, 11.9× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where CO₂ emissions embedded in trade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +341.1% | -10.57 million tonnes | 25.49 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.88 million tonnes | -10.57 million tonnes | 120.33 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.36 million tonnes | 36.07 million tonnes | 120.36 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.69 million tonnes | 31.50 million tonnes | 89.44 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 105.35 million tonnes | 84.40 million tonnes | 119.69 million tonnes | 4 |
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 co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea?
- Co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea was 119.69 million tonnes in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 120.36 million tonnes in 2007.
- What is the lowest co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.57 million tonnes in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for co₂ emissions embedded in trade?
- South Korea ranks 7th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is co₂ emissions embedded in trade rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 240.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embedded in trade, measured in tonnes.