[Exclusive] Korea’s Energy Self-Sufficiency Rate at 22.1%... 35th Among 38 OECD Countries

On the first day of the third phase of the maximum oil price system on the 10th, a citizen is refueling at a gas station in Haeundae-gu, Busan. 2026.4.10 Photo by Yonhap News

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South Korea's energy self-sufficiency rate stands at 22.1%, ranking 35th out of the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The energy self-sufficiency rate is calculated by dividing domestic energy production by the total energy supply, and it includes nuclear power generation. As the war between the United States and Iran draws greater attention to energy security, there are calls for a comprehensive national strategy to boost the country's energy self-sufficiency.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Korea Energy Economics Institute as of 2024, South Korea's energy self-sufficiency rate is 22.1%. The rate has gradually increased each year-19.6% in 2020, 18.4% in 2021, 20.7% in 2022, and 21.4% in 2023-but it still remains at a low level.

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Among the 38 OECD member countries, only Ireland (21.2%), Japan (16.4%), and Luxembourg (11.5%) have lower self-sufficiency rates than South Korea. This means South Korea is at a similar level to countries with high energy import dependence. In contrast, resource-rich nations such as Norway (839.6%), Australia (335.4%), Canada (196.2%), and the United States (111.7%) far exceed 100%. The gap is stark, depending on whether a country has a domestic energy production base. The OECD median is 53.3%.

The IEA defines energy self-sufficiency as the ratio of domestically produced energy to total energy supply (TES). Domestic production includes primary energy sources such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas, as well as biofuels, waste, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, and heat pumps. TES is calculated by adjusting domestic energy production for imports, exports, and changes in stock levels.

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The main reason for South Korea's low energy self-sufficiency rate is that the country imports a large amount of primary energy, while domestic energy production remains extremely limited. If nuclear power is excluded, the domestic energy self-sufficiency rate drops to just 4.6%. This essentially means that South Korea relies on foreign sources for most of its energy needs.

Recently, the government announced an energy transition plan focused on expanding renewable energy at a Cabinet meeting. However, there are arguments that a more comprehensive approach is needed to improve energy self-sufficiency. Professor Cho Hong-jong of Dankook University's Department of Economics stated, "Electricity accounts for only about 20% of total domestic energy demand," and emphasized, "It is necessary to draw up an overall plan for energy security that includes fossil fuels and nuclear power."

When the war between the United States and Iran broke out, China, which has a high share of Iranian oil imports, was cited as one of the countries most vulnerable to disruption. According to energy transport analytics firm Kpler, China imported an average of 1.38 million barrels of Iranian oil per day last year, accounting for 13.4% of its total seaborne imports.

However, due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the countries suffering the most are not China, but South Korea and Japan. China has been relatively less affected by the U.S.-Iran war because of its high energy self-sufficiency. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the country imported 578 million tons of crude oil last year, with an import dependence of 76%. However, oil accounts for just over 20% of China's total energy consumption, making it less significant in the overall mix.

Coal still accounts for more than half of China's total energy consumption, and most of this coal is produced domestically. In addition, China is aggressively expanding renewables and nuclear power, achieving a high level of energy self-sufficiency. According to the Economic and Technology Research Institute of China National Petroleum Corporation, China's energy self-sufficiency rate reached 84.4% in 2025.

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In comparison, South Korea relies on imports for most of the energy needed in sectors such as industry, power generation, transportation, and heating. The amount of energy produced domestically accounts for only 22.1% of total supply.

According to the IEA and Korea Energy Economics Institute, as of 2024, South Korea's total energy supply stands at 281.463 Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent), with domestic production at just 62.224 Mtoe.

Looking at the energy sources classified as domestic production, nuclear power accounts for 49,181 ktoe (kilotonnes of oil equivalent, or about 49 Mtoe), representing 79% of the total. Biofuels and waste account for 6,961 ktoe, and renewables for 3,697 ktoe. Excluding nuclear power, the domestic energy self-sufficiency rate drops to 4.6%.

With the war between the United States and Iran making domestic energy security an urgent issue, the government announced the "People’s Sovereignty Government Energy Transition Promotion Plan" at a Cabinet meeting on the 6th. The government has presented a vision to transition from a fossil fuel-based supply system to a renewable energy-centered "electricity nation." Kim Seonghwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated, "We will shift the power supply system to focus on renewables and pursue an energy transition that electrifies all sectors, including industrial structure, transportation, and buildings."

Experts agree with the premise of a "renewable energy transition," but caution that this alone cannot be a fundamental solution. Given the still high share of fossil fuels, they argue that a more systematic and comprehensive approach is needed to ensure energy security and to improve self-sufficiency in the short term.

Lee Sangjun, Professor of Energy Policy at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, said, "Expanding renewable energy is a mid- to long-term task, as it will take time. In the short term, we need to secure domestic trust in energy and find ways to reduce external dependence." He also emphasized, "Policies should not be designed to exclude specific energy sources."

Professor Cho also stressed, "You need to have a diverse mix of energy sources to defend against risks."

He continued, "Since South Korea still relies heavily on fossil fuels for heating and transportation, it is necessary to diversify energy supply lines and secure energy through overseas resource development and equity investments. Nuclear power and coal-fired plants remain important as base-load sources." He added that South Korea should also develop strategies to secure mineral resources such as rare earths, which are essential for electrification.

There has also been criticism that nuclear power is omitted from the government's energy transition policy. The Korean Nuclear Society stated, "Expanding renewables is essential, but a renewable-only approach cannot complete the energy transition. Only when nuclear power participates at a sufficient scale can the four goals-carbon neutrality, energy security, stable electricity prices, and industrial competitiveness-be achieved simultaneously."

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International cases offer significant lessons for South Korea. In Germany, which has shut down its nuclear plants and expanded renewables, the energy self-sufficiency rate is projected at 33.1% for 2024, falling short of the OECD median of 53.3%.

In Germany, the largest share of energy production comes from renewables such as biofuels, solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy, accounting for 67.5% of the total. Coal also still represents 25%. However, as a result of its nuclear phase-out policy, Germany's self-sufficiency rate lags behind other countries, such as the United Kingdom (61.2%), France (59.6%), and Poland (54.9%).

The United Kingdom, which is simultaneously pushing for a coal phase-out and expanding renewables, continues to have a high share of fossil fuels in its total energy production-oil (36.07%) and natural gas (30.09%). The share of renewables is 21.7%, lower than Germany, while nuclear accounts for 12% and remains a major energy source.

France, which produces very little oil and coal, relies on nuclear power for 76.2% of its energy production, while renewables make up 23.2%.

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