Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea
South Korea: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 991.33 kilograms per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea stood at 991.33 kilograms per person. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 7.7% on the previous year and up 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea peaked at 991.33 kilograms per person in 2023 and was at its lowest, 141.33 kilograms per person, in 1990.
That places South Korea 22nd out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 468.98 kilograms per person | 141.33 kilograms per person | 729.24 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 782.58 kilograms per person | 675.91 kilograms per person | 894.67 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 860.97 kilograms per person | 799.66 kilograms per person | 959.3 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 882.05 kilograms per person | 800.83 kilograms per person | 991.33 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More climate change data for South Korea
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Population, total 51.68 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Urban population 41.95 million (2025)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 20.71 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in South Korea was 991.33 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 991.33 kilograms per person in 2023.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 141.33 kilograms per person in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- South Korea ranks 22nd out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector. 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
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.