Signal Korea's final energy consumption grew 0.6 percent a year in 2020 to 2025 as buildings offset transport

Summary

Korea's final energy consumption increased by 0.6 percent a year between 2020 and 2025, as growth in industry and buildings outweighed a decline in transport. Industrial energy use has fallen every year since 2019 except for the 2021 recovery and the 2024 base effect, leaving growth at only 0.7 percent over the period. Buildings led the increase with average growth of 1.3 percent, while transport use fell 0.4 percent a year amid higher oil prices, slower growth and a shift toward overseas travel. Electricity use rose 1.6 percent a year thanks to the 2021 and 2022 rebound but has been flat for the past three years because industrial demand fell with the manufacturing slowdown and more self-generation. In 2025 industry accounted for 61.1 percent of final consumption, buildings 22.8 percent and transport 16.2 percent.