( CNN ) -- South Korea is suspending exports of tear gas canisters to the Gulf island nation of Bahrain amid pressure from human rights groups , an official said Thursday . `` We 've decided to suspend ( the shipment of tear gas ) because of the unstable political situation in Bahrain , requests from human rights groups and civilian deaths , '' an official with South Korea 's state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration ( DAPA ) , which oversees the country 's military trade , said . `` We got requests Dae Kwang Chemical Corporation and another company on whether they can get permission to export the tear gas to Bahrain , '' the DAPA official said . `` After discussions with the Defense and Foreign Ministries on the issue , we informed the companies to suspend the exports . '' The move by Seoul comes after months of campaigning by rights groups who say the Bahraini authorities ' misuse of tear gas has led to dozens of deaths as the Shiite majority protests against the Sunni-led government . The authorities have argued that tear gas is necessary to maintain order . Human rights groups had launched a campaign called Stop The Shipment after leaked government documents appeared to show that Bahrain , a country of 1.3 million people , had ordered around 1.6 million tear gas canisters . In October , the U.S.-based group Physicians for Human Rights reported that Bahrain 's police `` weaponized tear gas '' had caused the deaths of at least 39 people since February 2011 in an ongoing crackdown on anti-government protests , a claim the government disputes . Bahrain 's Interior Ministry said it had not been informed of any such ban by Seoul . `` Teargas is used by Bahrain 's police force only as a necessary and proportionate measure and in public order and riot control situations . It is used entirely in compliance with international law , '' it said in a statement on Wednesday . Bahraini and international rights groups welcomed the move . `` I think it 's great news and we commend South Korea on the decision they 've taken , '' Bahraini rights activist Maryam al-Khawaja said . `` We 're starting with tear gas but we expect to see countries who say they are concerned about human rights stop the sale of all types of weapons to Bahrain . '' CNN 's Marie-Louise Gumuchian contributed to this report .
Rights groups pressure the South Korean government to halt shipments to Bahrain . The move comes after months of campaigning against the use of tear gas . Bahraini authorities say tear gas is necessary to maintain order . TL;DR NEW