The government is considering using the military reserve of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions, to help address supply shortages in the civilian sector, sources said Monday.

The defense ministry and other relevant ministries are in talks over the idea of temporarily lending part of the military stockpile to the civilian sector, they said, amid fears that a protracted shortage of the fluid could cause serious disruptions in the country's logistical industry.

The government is said to be considering using up to 200 tons, or 200,000 liters, of urea water in the military stockpile -- about 10 times more than the amount it seeks to import from Australia.

"The military does have a stockpile of urea water solution. If called upon, it can share part of it, except for the amount the military currently needs," a source said on condition of anonymity.

Some observers said that even if the military releases the amount, it is not sufficient to address shortages in the market, given the country's monthly demand for the solution in the private sector is estimated at 20,000 tons.

In recent weeks, South Korea has been struggling with a shortage of urea water, also known as diesel exhaust fluid, as China tightened exports of fertilizers and related materials amid a power crisis caused by a coal supply shortage. Coal is the main feedstock for urea.

South Korea heavily relies on China for its supply of urea water solution, as 97.6 percent of its imports came from China in the first nine months of this year.

During a regular press briefing last week, Boo Seung-chan, the spokesperson of the defense ministry, said the military holds a sufficient amount of the fluid in stock to fully carry out its given missions.

On Sunday, South Korea said it plans to import 20,000 tons of urea water solution from Australia this week to ease its supply shortage. It is expected to mobilize a KC-330 military tanker transport aircraft, an Air Force asset, for the import mission. (Yonhap)