Record low coal power output underscores the country’s waning appetite for coal in recent years
Seoul, 2 July – For the first time on record, fossil fuels accounted for less than half (49.5%, 21.8 TWh) of South Korea’s total electricity generation, according to data from global energy think tank Ember for April 2025. The previous low was 50.4% (22.6 TWh) in May 2024.
The main driver of the decline in fossil generation was a fall in coal generation, which hit a record low in April 2025 of 18.5% (8.2 TWh). Across 2024, South Korea relied on coal power for 30% of its electricity, with all fossil fuels accounting for 60%, according to Ember’s yearly electricity data.
While gas power has remained relatively steady, coal output has dropped sharply in recent years. The output in April 2025 was 36% lower than in April 2021. This contributed to a drop in power sector emissions to 6.7 million tonnes of CO2, 37% below levels recorded in April 2021. In 2024, South Korea’s power sector emitted five tonnes of CO2 per capita, almost triple the global average.
Electricity demand in April 2025 remained stable, reaching 44 TWh, slightly higher (+1.4%) than 43.4 TWh in April 2024.
