South Korea Energy Dashboard

Grid Summary

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…more information.

The Republic of Korea is an emerging donor country, with a gross domestic product per capita of $18,372 in 2006. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 (eradication of poverty and hunger; universal primary education; reduction of child mortality; improvement of maternal health; and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases) have either been achieved or have reached levels similar to advanced countries. With this standard of human development, there is no national strategy for the MDGs. However, progress on the achievement of Goals 3 and 7 (gender equality; and the environment) is slower. With the expansion of official development assistance (ODA), Goal 8, on the global partnership for development, has moved to the fore. With regard to Goal 3, the major challenges are gender equality in the workplace and in government. Only 50 per cent of women are economically active, and very few hold high positions. Women are greatly under-represented in politics. To overcome this, the Government has enacted a number of laws guaranteeing women a minimum number of public office positions and to be nominated for parliamentary seats. As a result, women held 13.3 per cent of seats in the national assembly in 2004, up from 5.9 per cent in the previous election…more information.