Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita was 2.31 tonnes per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 2.31 tonnes per person for imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 229.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in South Korea peaked at 2.69 tonnes per person in 1992 and was at its lowest, -0.2286 tonnes per person, in 1998.
That places South Korea 18th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.83 tonnes per person | — |
| 1991 | 1.76 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 2.69 tonnes per person | +53.1% |
| 1993 | 2.02 tonnes per person | -24.9% |
| 1994 | 1.87 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 1995 | 1.82 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 1.8 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.19 tonnes per person | -34.0% |
| 1998 | -0.2286 tonnes per person | -119.2% |
| 1999 | 0.5481 tonnes per person | -339.7% |
| 2000 | 1.33 tonnes per person | +142.8% |
| 2001 | 1.03 tonnes per person | -22.9% |
| 2002 | 1.37 tonnes per person | +33.2% |
| 2003 | 1.35 tonnes per person | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.5 tonnes per person | +11.4% |
| 2005 | 2 tonnes per person | +33.2% |
| 2006 | 2.27 tonnes per person | +13.4% |
| 2007 | 2.5 tonnes per person | +10.1% |
| 2008 | 2.31 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 0.7429 tonnes per person | -67.9% |
| 2010 | 1.24 tonnes per person | +66.3% |
| 2011 | 1.21 tonnes per person | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 0.7477 tonnes per person | -38.4% |
| 2013 | 0.7025 tonnes per person | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 1.29 tonnes per person | +84.0% |
| 2015 | 0.8257 tonnes per person | -36.1% |
| 2016 | 0.6141 tonnes per person | -25.6% |
| 2017 | 0.9183 tonnes per person | +49.5% |
| 2018 | 1.53 tonnes per person | +66.7% |
| 2019 | 1.73 tonnes per person | +12.9% |
| 2020 | 1.63 tonnes per person | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 1.96 tonnes per person | +20.3% |
| 2022 | 2.24 tonnes per person | +14.2% |
| 2023 | 2.31 tonnes per person | +3.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.31 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.47 tonnes per person, 1.6× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.31 tonnes per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3656 tonnes per person, 6.3× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita 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 | +339.7% | -0.2286 tonnes per person | 0.5481 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.53 tonnes per person | -0.2286 tonnes per person | 2.69 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.64 tonnes per person | 0.7429 tonnes per person | 2.5 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.08 tonnes per person | 0.6141 tonnes per person | 1.73 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.03 tonnes per person | 1.63 tonnes per person | 2.31 tonnes per person | 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 imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in South Korea?
- Imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in South Korea was 2.31 tonnes per person in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.69 tonnes per person in 1992.
- What is the lowest imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2286 tonnes per person in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita?
- South Korea ranks 18th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 229.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embedded in trade, measured in tonnes per person.