Additional ammunition to South Korean troops in South Sudan

South Korean peacekeepers in South Sudan will receive 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the Japanese government via the United Nations to beef up their defense posture amid intensifying conflict in the fledgling African nation, the defense ministry said Monday. The South Korean government asked for the UN Missions in South Sudan to provide additional ammunition as its troops are mostly composed of engineers and medics. Fears have risen of civil war in the world's newest country as its oil-rich state has been seized by armed rebels, according to South Korea's News (Yonhap). The 280-member South Korean contingency has been operating in the town of Bor, some 170 kilometers north of the capital Juba, since 2012 as part of UN missions to support its restoration efforts. "Although there are no hostile acts against the South Korean troops, the unit asked for the UN to support it with additional ammunition to beef up deterrence capabilities in case of contingencies," a senior ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The decision came as the two Asian nations use the same ammunition that's shot by South Korea's K-2 assault rifle, which fires both 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm rounds, the official said, without elaborating on the weapon due to security reasons. A South Korean military transport plane is expected to depart for South Sudan later this week to deliver ammunition and firearms as well as subsidiary food for South Korean troops as soon as it gets final approval from the UN, military officials said.