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Summary Energy is an integral component of today's economy, and Korea is no exception. Due to controversies around fossil fuel and nuclear energy, Korea had major discussions on its energy portfolio. In particular, for effective policy, it is essential to identify the public's perception of different energy sources. This research analyzed 458 valid responses from survey data and compared 5 aspects (“safety,” “environment friendliness,” “economic fea [Colour figure can be viewed at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com]sibility,” “job creation,” and “contribution to economic development”) of 4 energy sources (new and renewable, hydropower, nuclear, and fossil fuel). The results suggest that new and renewable energy is perceived by the Korean public as the best energy source in 4 aspects, while fossil fuel is the worst in all aspects. Furthermore, the Korean public perceives safety and environment friendliness as closely coupled attributes because citizens are more aware of the environment and concerned about their own safety, which is a typical attribute of developed nations. The implications for the government and the businesses involved in each energy source are given in the conclusion.