Statistics
Page built 2026-11-05
Data as of 2025
Search
Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

South Korea vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared

South Korea generated 628 TWh of electricity in 2025 and the United Kingdom 294 TWh, according to Ember. South Korea's largest source was coal (31.1%); the United Kingdom's was gas (31.3%). Each kWh generated emitted 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? South Korea is the bigger electricity producer, generating 2.1 times as much as the United Kingdom in 2025 (628 TWh against 294 TWh). The United Kingdom has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 218 gCO2/kWh against 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Coal supplied 31.1% of South Korea's electricity in 2025, against 0.1% in the United Kingdom.
  • South Korea's electricity was 1.9 times as carbon intensive as the United Kingdom's in 2025, at 418 gCO2/kWh against 218 gCO2/kWh.
  • Electricity demand rose 9% in South Korea between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 4% in the United Kingdom.
  • The average person in South Korea used 12.09 MWh of electricity in 2025, 2.6 times as much as in the United Kingdom (4.62 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 39.9% of South Korea's electricity in 2025 and 64.2% of the United Kingdom's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 628 TWh in South Korea and 312 TWh in the United Kingdom.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure South Korea United Kingdom
Total generation628 TWh294 TWh
Electricity demand628 TWh312 TWh
Demand per person12.09 MWh4.62 MWh
Carbon intensity418 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions262 MtCO264.0 MtCO2
Low carbon share39.9%64.2%
Largest sourceCoal 31.1%Gas 31.3%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source South Korea United Kingdom
Gas 28.0% 31.3%
Coal 31.1% 0.1%
Wind 0.6% 29.4%
Nuclear 29.4% 12.4%
Bioenergy 3.2% 13.9%
Solar 6.0% 6.6%
Other fossil 1.0% 4.4%
Hydro 0.6% 1.8%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in South Korea and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in South Korea and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in South Korea and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in South Korea and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearSouth KoreaUnited Kingdom
1985524 gCO2/kWh694 gCO2/kWh
1986431 gCO2/kWh721 gCO2/kWh
1987345 gCO2/kWh737 gCO2/kWh
1988405 gCO2/kWh710 gCO2/kWh
1989383 gCO2/kWh689 gCO2/kWh
1990379 gCO2/kWh705 gCO2/kWh
1991399 gCO2/kWh700 gCO2/kWh
1992427 gCO2/kWh665 gCO2/kWh
1993451 gCO2/kWh608 gCO2/kWh
1994493 gCO2/kWh589 gCO2/kWh
1995479 gCO2/kWh579 gCO2/kWh
1996481 gCO2/kWh557 gCO2/kWh
1997492 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
1998463 gCO2/kWh510 gCO2/kWh
1999453 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
2000462 gCO2/kWh522 gCO2/kWh
2001475 gCO2/kWh529 gCO2/kWh
2002473 gCO2/kWh521 gCO2/kWh
2003458 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2004463 gCO2/kWh536 gCO2/kWh
2005450 gCO2/kWh535 gCO2/kWh
2006451 gCO2/kWh559 gCO2/kWh
2007474 gCO2/kWh556 gCO2/kWh
2008477 gCO2/kWh554 gCO2/kWh
2009495 gCO2/kWh505 gCO2/kWh
2010500 gCO2/kWh517 gCO2/kWh
2011497 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2012502 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2013512 gCO2/kWh507 gCO2/kWh
2014493 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2015488 gCO2/kWh398 gCO2/kWh
2016489 gCO2/kWh333 gCO2/kWh
2017511 gCO2/kWh302 gCO2/kWh
2018519 gCO2/kWh286 gCO2/kWh
2019497 gCO2/kWh268 gCO2/kWh
2020458 gCO2/kWh243 gCO2/kWh
2021460 gCO2/kWh267 gCO2/kWh
2022438 gCO2/kWh255 gCO2/kWh
2023427 gCO2/kWh236 gCO2/kWh
2024416 gCO2/kWh216 gCO2/kWh
2025418 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in South Korea and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in South Korea and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 12.09 MWh in South Korea and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom. 0 4 8 11 15 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in South Korea and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 12.09 MWh in South Korea and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in South Korea and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearSouth KoreaUnited Kingdom
1985n/an/a
1986n/an/a
1987n/an/a
1988n/an/a
1989n/an/a
1990n/an/a
1991n/an/a
1992n/an/a
1993n/an/a
1994n/an/a
1995n/an/a
1996n/an/a
1997n/an/a
1998n/an/a
1999n/an/a
20006.21 MWh6.63 MWh
20016.59 MWh6.67 MWh
20027.02 MWh6.65 MWh
20037.32 MWh6.69 MWh
20047.72 MWh6.67 MWh
20058.14 MWh6.71 MWh
20068.39 MWh6.63 MWh
20078.83 MWh6.53 MWh
20089.15 MWh6.45 MWh
20099.32 MWh6.07 MWh
201010.15 MWh6.11 MWh
201110.55 MWh5.89 MWh
201210.71 MWh5.87 MWh
201310.73 MWh5.79 MWh
201410.69 MWh5.53 MWh
201510.75 MWh5.51 MWh
201610.94 MWh5.42 MWh
201711.20 MWh5.32 MWh
201811.48 MWh5.29 MWh
201911.34 MWh5.19 MWh
202011.13 MWh4.88 MWh
202111.72 MWh4.92 MWh
202212.02 MWh4.70 MWh
202311.93 MWh4.60 MWh
202412.09 MWh4.59 MWh
202512.09 MWh4.62 MWh

South Korea history · United Kingdom history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2025). South Korea vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/south-korea-vs-united-kingdom/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. South Korea vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/south-korea-vs-united-kingdom/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_south_korea_vs_united_kingdom_2025,
  title = {{South Korea vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/south-korea-vs-united-kingdom/}
}

Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/south-korea-vs-united-kingdom/

The Copy buttons add today's date as the access date.