Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea
South Korea: Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade was 20.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of 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 %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea is 20.3%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% on the previous year and up 266.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea peaked at 40.1% in 1992 and was at its lowest, -2.8%, in 1998.
That places South Korea 63rd out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 32.1% | — |
| 1991 | 28.4% | -11.7% |
| 1992 | 40.1% | +41.4% |
| 1993 | 27.5% | -31.4% |
| 1994 | 23.8% | -13.7% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | -9.3% |
| 1996 | 19.5% | -9.5% |
| 1997 | 12.3% | -37.1% |
| 1998 | -2.8% | -122.8% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | -322.1% |
| 2000 | 14.1% | +127.9% |
| 2001 | 10.6% | -25.1% |
| 2002 | 13.6% | +28.1% |
| 2003 | 13.2% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 14.6% | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 19.2% | +31.6% |
| 2006 | 21.6% | +12.7% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 21.0% | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 6.7% | -68.0% |
| 2010 | 10.1% | +51.1% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 5.9% | -38.3% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | +87.3% |
| 2015 | 6.6% | -36.1% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | -25.6% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | +46.3% |
| 2018 | 11.8% | +63.3% |
| 2019 | 13.8% | +17.3% |
| 2020 | 14.1% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | +16.7% |
| 2022 | 19.1% | +15.8% |
| 2023 | 20.3% | +6.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 20.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.2%, 75% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 20.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.6%, 2.1× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of 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 | +322.1% | -2.8% | 6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.9% | -2.8% | 40.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.8% | 6.7% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 4.9% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 14.1% | 20.3% | 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 share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea?
- Share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in South Korea was 20.3% in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 40.1% in 1992.
- What is the lowest share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.8% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade?
- South Korea ranks 63rd out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 266.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Share 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 as a percentage of emissions of CO₂.