Signal Korea's energy mix in 2020 to 2025: coal declined while gas, nuclear and renewables grew

Summary

Over the five years to 2025, coal was the only major energy source whose consumption fell in Korea. Coal use peaked in 2018 and then declined in both power generation and industry, falling 2.1 percent a year. Oil consumption rose only 0.1 percent a year despite large petrochemical capacity additions in 2021 and 2022, as rising Chinese self-sufficiency, global oversupply and restructuring talks weighed on the sector. Gas use grew 2.2 percent a year led by power and industry, nuclear generation 2.9 percent on new reactors and higher utilisation, and renewables and other sources 9.2 percent on government deployment policy. In 2025 oil accounted for 38.2 percent of primary energy, coal 22.3 percent, gas 19.8 percent, nuclear 12.9 percent and renewables and others 6.8 percent.