Water use efficiency (WUE) is the amount of carbon uptake per unit of water use, which is a key measure of the functions of terrestrial ecosystems, as it is related to both the hydrologic and carbon cycles. Furthermore, it can vary with many factors, such as climate conditions and land cover characteristics, in different regions. In this study, we aim to understand the spatial and temporal variations in WUE on the Korean Peninsula as well as the associated response to drought. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) datasets and climate data were used to derive a drought index. Based on the monthly WUE, we found that WUE decreased during the monsoon summer in all regions and for all vegetation types. Furthermore, the annual WUE was negatively correlated with the drought index, with increasing correlation coefficients from the northern region to the southern region of the Korean Peninsula.