South Korea consumes approximately 1.9 percent of the world’s primary energy. Mandatory standards and labels programs are a key feature of Korea’s energy conservation program. In 1992 Korea launched the Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling Program, which includes minimum energy performance standards (MEPS). The programs cover 26 products (recently window set, transformer, and TV are included), including refrigerators and air conditioners, and have dramatically improved the energy efficiency of common appliances.

Both comparative and endorsement energy efficiency labels are used in Korea. High energy consuming products are rated from grade five to grade one. Korea’s High-efficiency Appliance Certification Program promotes products that perform better than established efficiency standards. There are 42 target products including motors, boilers, and lighting.

Korea’s e-standby program is the first mandatory Standby Power Warning Label program in the world. It mandates the reporting of standby power of target products and labeling of products that fail to meet the standby standard.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) and Korea Energy Management Corporation (KEMCO) operate all three energy efficiency programs. The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards is a specialized institute to lead the industrial standards and technical evaluation in Korea.

Information regarding Korea's current energy efficiency programs can be found on the CLASP Standards and Labeling (S&L) Database.