Industrial water withdrawal in South Korea
South Korea: Industrial water withdrawal was 4.45 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.45 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
20th
of 180 countries
All-time high
4.45 billion cubic meters
in 2002
All-time low
2.00 billion cubic meters
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Industrial water withdrawal in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 4.45 billion cubic meters for industrial water withdrawal in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water withdrawal in South Korea peaked at 4.45 billion cubic meters in 2002 and was at its lowest, 2.00 billion cubic meters, in 1990.
South Korea ranks 20th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Industrial water withdrawal in South Korea, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.00 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 2.18 billion cubic meters | +9.1% |
| 1992 | 2.37 billion cubic meters | +8.4% |
| 1993 | 2.55 billion cubic meters | +7.7% |
| 1994 | 2.73 billion cubic meters | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 2.91 billion cubic meters | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 3.10 billion cubic meters | +6.3% |
| 1997 | 3.28 billion cubic meters | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 3.51 billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 3.75 billion cubic meters | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 3.98 billion cubic meters | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 4.22 billion cubic meters | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.45 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 4.45 billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 668.45 million cubic meters, 6.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 4.45 billion cubic meters is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.18 billion cubic meters, 3.8× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.84 billion cubic meters | 2.00 billion cubic meters | 3.75 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.38 billion cubic meters | 3.98 billion cubic meters | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 4.45 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2322 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 3.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industrial water withdrawal in South Korea?
- Industrial water withdrawal in South Korea was 4.45 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industrial water withdrawal recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.45 billion cubic meters in 2002.
- What is the lowest industrial water withdrawal recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.00 billion cubic meters in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for industrial water withdrawal?
- South Korea ranks 20th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is industrial water withdrawal rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Water withdrawn each year by self-supplied industries.