South Korea's coal-fired power generation increased this year as the country's new government vows to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power, industry data showed Monday.

According to the data compiled by the Korea Power Exchange, coal-fired power generation reached 95,550 gigawatt-hours in the first five months of the year, up 13.6 percent from a year earlier.

The figure accounted for 42.4 percent of the total electricity output during the cited period, up 4.7 percentage points from a year earlier.

Industry watchers say more coal-fired power plants have gone into operations since last year, and some nuke power plants were halted due to maintenance works.

In contrast, nuclear-powered electricity output reached 65,624 GWh during the cited period, down from 73,541 GWh a year earlier.

Nuclear-power generation made up 29.1 percent of the country's power output in the January-May period, down from the 32.9 percent share a year earlier.

Coal-powered power generation is cited as the main culprit of global warming gas emissions and fine particulates, with many countries struggling to cut their reliance on fossil fuels.

Coal is a cheap source of power generation, but it releases 2.2 times more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than LNG.

The latest data comes as President Moon Jae-in made clear his government's plan to scrap the building of new nuclear power plants and phase out those already in operation as they reach the end of their life cycles.

The government said the construction of two reactors -- Shin Kori No. 5 and Shin Kori No. 6 -- will be suspended for up to three months so policymakers can decide whether to scrap or move forward with the building project.

The country's oldest nuclear power plant, the Kori-1, was permanently shut down earlier this year.

President Moon said earlier the government will "secure a public consensus" on the fate of nuclear power generation in the near future, while reiterating his earlier pledge to permanently shut down at least 10 aged, coal-fired power plants before his five-year term ends, a move aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and fine dust emissions.

Last year, around one-third of power in the country was supplied by nuclear power plants. South Korea has 24 nuclear reactors, not counting the Kori-1 unit. (Yonhap)