As of April 2026, South Korea kicked off a nationwide energy-saving campaign to deal with rising fuel costs and growing concerns about its energy sources. The government raised its energy security alert level and is asking everyone — from public offices to regular citizens — to cut back on their energy use. The backdrop to all this is the crisis in the Middle East, which has officials worried it could make fuel shortages even worse and push prices even higher.
The thing is South Korea doesn’t produce much of its own energy. It depends heavily on imports to power the country and its economy. In fact, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, it imports about 97% of its energy, which makes it really vulnerable when global energy markets get shaky. And while South Korea does maintain oil reserves, they’re not as reassuring as they might look on paper. A significant chunk is tied up in petrochemical exports, and analysts suggest that at current consumption rates, usable reserves could be exhausted in under two months.
The government has put out a list of 12 recommended steps for households and public institutions alike. The suggestions are fairly straightforward — turn off lights you’re not using, unplug electronics sitting idle, be mindful of heating and cooling, and try to shift heavy electricity use away from peak hours. Across the country, cities have started switching off decorative lighting used for illuminating rivers and bridges, and shutting down public fountains. Escalators and ventilation systems in public spaces are running reduced hours. Inside government buildings, lights are being dimmed, elevator use is being restricted, and thermostats are under strict controls.
Reactions from the public have been mixed. Some people genuinely understand the rationale and are willing to make adjustments given the global situation. Others, though, are frustrated. The most common complaint is around temperature restrictions in offices and public buildings, which plenty of people find genuinely uncomfortable — particularly when the weather is at its worst. And a lot of people are pointing out that the campaign puts all the pressure on regular folks, while the bigger, system-wide energy issues don’t get addressed.
On the supply side, the government is also taking emergency steps to keep energy supplies stable and put a lid on inflation. These include a cap on fuel prices, active efforts to line up alternative oil and gas suppliers, a temporary relaxation of limits on coal power generation, and a fast-tracked plan to bring five nuclear reactors back online. Two of those reactors have already restarted, and the rest are expected to follow by May 2026.
