Central & SE Asia / Australasia
Country profile: South Korea
| Location: | Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea |
| Climate: | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter |
| Terrain: | mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south |
| Size: | 98480 sq. km total (Land area: 98190 sq. km Water area: 290 sq.km) |
| Population: | 49,232,844 (July 2008 est.) |
| Languages: | Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school |
| Government: | republic |
| Capital city: | Seoul |
| Legal system: | combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Currency: | South Korean won (KRW) |
| Licensing: |
Country profile
With limited domestic energy resources, South Korea is almost entirely dependent on imports to meet its energy consumption needs. South Korea is the fifth-largest net importer of oil in the world, and a significant importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Oil makes up the greatest share of South Korea's total energy consumption, though its share has been declining gradually in recent years. Oil supplied 50 percent of South Korea’s total energy consumption in 2004, compared with 65 percent in 1994. This decline in oil’s share in consumption reflects faster growth in natural gas and to a lesser extent coal over the period.
Coal is South Korea’s second-largest source, supplying 24 percent of primary energy consumption needs in 2004, followed by modest contributions from nuclear power (14 percent) and natural gas (12 percent). Hydropower and other renewable energy sources make up a small fraction of South Korea’s total energy consumption mix.
Energy production and consumption
| Oil | Gas | |
| Production: | 17,050 bbl/day (2005) | 1 billion cu m (2006) |
| Consumption: | 2 million bbl/day (2005) | 34 billion cu m (2006) |
| Exports: | 2,450 cu m (2006) | |
| Imports: | 2 million bbl/day (2004) | 35 billion cu m (2006) |
| Reserves: | ||
| Major fields: |
South Korea - recent news
| 23 Oct 25 |
South Korea: Fugro UST21 completes geotechnical work for Ørsted on South Korea’s largest offshore wind project Fugro UST21 has completed offshore geotechnical site investigations for Ørsted’s 1.4 GW Incheon offshore wind project in early August 2025, located approx. 70 km off the coast of Incheon, South Korea. The project is set to become the largest offshore wind farm in the country and plays a pivotal role in Korea’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. |
| 23 Oct 25 |
South Korea: METLEN and HRE seal landmark solar deal in South Korea METLEN and Korean energy investment and development company HRE, have announced the signing of a landmark agreement under which HRE will acquire a diversified portfolio of solar projects in South Korea with a total installed capacity of 42 MW, the phase 1 of the renewable energy portfolio built by METLEN. |
| 09 Sep 25 |
South Korea: TotalEnergies to supply 1 million tons per year of LNG to KOGAS for 10 years TotalEnergies and KOGAS, South Korea’s national natural gas company, have announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement (HoA) for the annual delivery in South Korea of 1 million tons (Mt) of LNG per year over a 10-year period starting from the end of 2027. |
| 04 Aug 25 |
South Korea: Turning waste and residues into sustainable fuels: LG Chem and Enilive breaks ground on Korea’s First HVO/SAF Plant LG Chem and Enilive have taken a major step toward biofuels growth by breaking ground on Korea’s first hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production plant in LG Chem’s Daesan Chemical Complex located in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, 80 kms southwest of Seoul. |
| 07 Jul 25 |
South Korea: Deep Wind Offshore secures Electricity Business License for the Admiral Lee offshore wind project Deep Wind Offshore has reached a key milestone in South Korea with the Admiral Lee Offshore Wind Project securing its first Electricity Business License. The approval marks a major step forward for the project and highlights the strength of collaboration between domestic and international companies in the country’s growing offshore wind sector. |
South Korea - more news
Other countries in this region
- Australia,
- Bangladesh,
- Brunei,
- Cambodia,
- China,
- Fiji,
- Hong Kong,
- India,
- Indonesia,
- Japan,
- Laos,
- Malaysia,
- Maldives,
- Mongolia,
- Myanmar,
- Nepal,
- New Zealand,
- North Korea,
- Pakistan,
- Palau,
- Papua New Guinea,
- Philippines,
- Singapore,
- Sri Lanka,
- Taiwan,
- Thailand,
- Timor Leste,
- Vietnam
