South Korea is the fifth largest per capita consumer of coal in the world.
 
According to data from the International Energy Agency, the average South Korean used two-point-29 tons of coal equivalent (tce) in 2014.
 
The figure is the fifth highest in the world after countries such as Kazakhstan and Australia, and is more than double the average of member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
 
While per capita coal use is steadily declining in major OECD nations, that of South Korea is found to be growing about four-point-two percent each year.
 
Coal is the leading energy source that produces greenhouse gas. The Seoul government vowed to reduce emission levels at the recent UN climate change conference in Paris.
 
However, coal consumption in the country is expected to rise for the time being with another coal power plant with a capacity of 18-thousand megawatts planned to be constructed by 2023.