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
| 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. |
| 15 Apr 25 |
South Korea: Octopus Energy ramps up Asian renewables push with South Korean investment Octopus Energy’s generation arm accelerates its Asian renewables plans with a solar investment in South Korea, set to help ramp up clean power in the country. Octopus has backed a highly experienced and expert local team – Skygreen Energy – to develop up to 20 small- to medium-sized solar farms in the next two years. |
| 11 Mar 25 |
South Korea: Ocean Winds secures Electricity Business License for 1,125MW Hanbando Offshore Wind Project Ocean Winds has been granted the Electricity Business License (EBL) by the Electricity Regulatory Commission under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) for the Hanbando Offshore Wind Project, its 1,125MW bottom-fixed project located in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Incheon, South Korea. |
| 18 Feb 25 |
South Korea: LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solution partners with Balmoral Comtec to launch world's largest floating offshore wind project Balmoral Comtec, a Balmoral Group company and a leading provider of buoyancy, protection and insulation services to the global offshore energy market, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the floating offshore wind power sector with LS Cable & System, one of the biggest cable manufacturers worldwide, and LS Marine Solution, Korea’s leading marine solution provider to collaborate in the floating offshore wind sector. |
| 18 Nov 24 |
South Korea: Vestas wins 50 MW order in South Korea Vestas has been awarded a 50 MW order in South Korea. Delivery is expected to begin in Q2 2025, with commissioning planned for first half of 2026. |
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
